News 1-5 Comment 6-10 Features 11-13 Lifestyle 14 Science & Technology 15-16 Culture, Music, Film, TV & Radio 19-29 Sport 30-32 Tuesday, February 17th 2015 www.studentnewspaper.org
ANTI-VIVISECTION CAMPAIGNERS ‘SPY’ ON STUDENTS
Group pays students for researchers’ personal details By Ethan DeWitt @ TheStudentPaper
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national anti-animal testing organisation
University of Edinburgh medical research department and is actively paying students to spy on research practices and obtain the personal details of their peers, The Student has learned. The group, National Organisation Anti-Vivisection (NOAV), has
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employed a network of Edinburgh students in the past months to covertly supply information on students engaging in live animal testing, also known as vivisection, interviews reveal. Such information includes names, photos, phone numbers, email addresses, and postal addresses of students involved in the research. The contact details obtained are stored by the organisation and used to apply direct pressure on the individuals to stop their research. In some cases,
Umera Rashid
on Islamophobia in the media
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identities of researchers are released to the public, a process the group refers as “naming and shaming”. Students who participate have been paid between £50 to £1000 for their Details of the current operation at the University of Edinburgh came to light in recent interviews with NOAV representatives by The Student. The group claims to currently provide them information “on a
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country through online advertisements. “NOAV is willing to pay £££ for info about students doing experiments on animals in your Uni as part of their academic program!,” a line on their website reads. But while the group has been soliciting espionage online for months, they have not directly acknowledged an active campaign at the University of Edinburgh until now. “We are getting good information from Edinburgh at this time,” NOAV spokesman William Evans told The Student. He declined to provide further details, adding that releasing information at this stage “would compromise operations.” As NOAV receives information from student sources—all of whom it says have approached it voluntarily—it also tests them. Those that demonstrate “the ability to gather relevant information” are
employed a number of individuals that Their intentions are “to build up a network of spies able to collect and pass on information about animal testing,” a spokesman for the group told The Student. UK-wide campaign by NOAV to entice student involvement by promising launched on campus at Cambridge University last autumn, has now been extended to universities across the
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collection tasks, the organisation told The Student. In addition to the information on lab practices, the organisation uses the contact information it receives to directly contact researchers and attempt to convince them to abandon their practices. The group described this operation to The Student as “a single polite contact with those concerned.”
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Debate:
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McColl reflects on tenure as Rector after defeat By Matt Bugajski @mattbugajski
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eter McColl, the 51st Rector of the University of Edinburgh, will leave the post after serving for three years, with Steve Morrison taking on the role. Morrison triumphed in last week’s rectorial election between the two candidates, claiming 61.9 per cent of the votes cast, compared to McColl’s 38.1 per cent. The Student it was not easy, but that he thinks he has made a lot of progress and laid the framework for future change. “I had a huge advantage in having the time and knowledge to make things happen. That allowed me to make progress on a whole range of things. “I think I’ve delivered more than previous Rectors, and been
interests.” McColl said one of his key accomplishments as Rector was improving students’ access to accommodation.
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I had a huge advantage in having the time and knowledge to make things happen. That allowed me to make progress on a whole range of things. I think I’ve delivered more than previous Rectors, and been very focused on staff and students’ interests.” - Peter McColl, former UoE Rector
He said: “The Accommodation Service is much more focused on serving students – we haven’t seen Common Rooms or budget hotels,
which was what happened when I became Rector.” McColl also cited the push for improved feedback as an important, if nascent, achievement. “I’m pleased the University is making strides on teaching and feedback. There’s a lot still to do and it will need more money, but students have been asking for action on this for a long time, and now things are beginning to happen.”
also worked to improve conditions for He told The Student: “Ending zero-hour contracts and getting a focus on the gender pay gap have been McColl is standing as a candidate the Edinburgh East district in the upcoming parliamentary election. If elected, McColl said he would continue working towards many of the same reforms he pursued as Rector.
“Education isn’t just an individual to reintroduce free education.”
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Financial concerns of students are really important. The thing that stops most students achieving what they want while at University isn’t the structure of the degree or the teaching staff. It’s that students are having to do more and more paid work, while paying ever higher rents.” - Peter McColl
research funding, and improve access for international students. The Student asked McColl what
as he begins his term as Rector. He said: “Financial concerns of students are really important. The thing that stops most students achieving what they want while at University isn’t the structure of the degree or the (very capable, forward-looking and committed) “It’s that students are having to do more and more paid work, while paying ever higher rents. And if they’re international students, there’s a whole load of other barriers to overcome. “Students need someone who can make the case on these issues – and the Rector is the person best placed to do that.” While he will be stepping down as Rector, McColl said he will remain actively involved with the business of the University. “I’ll be a supportive, if critical friend of the University. There are a lot of things I wanted to do as Rector in a second term, but those will have to wait!”
Report claims one in five universities breaching consumer law Andrews University told The Student: “With all due respect to Which?, this is a fundamental example of why education is not a consumable like a washing machine or a new car.
By Rosie Barrett @TheStudentPaper
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universities may be in breach of consumer law, a recent investigation by consumer watchdog Which? has claimed, with almost a third guilty of bad practice. The investigation found that small print in university terms allows institutions to change courses at their own discretion, including in some cases the ability to increase fees.
- Alison Johnstone, Lothian MSP The University of Edinburgh was amongst 40 institutions ranked as a Other Edinburgh institutions also
Image:rsablogs.org.uk
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Choosing which courses to take is a major decision for any student, so they deserve maximum clarity about the different modules before enrolling. Edinburgh’s universities need to end any unfair practices which leave students needlessly frustrated about their choices.”
“ The investigation found several UK universities guilty of including clauses to change course details performed poorly, with Edinburgh Napier ranked category ‘C’, denoting ‘in need of improvement’, Queen Mary’s University ‘E: unlawful practice’ and Heriot-Watt ‘F: inadequate information to assess practice’. Higher Education at the National Union of Students (NUS), said: “We have always said that the ways that universities can currently dramatically change – or sometimes entirely close – courses during a student’s studies is completely unacceptable. “A student who has applied to study not be left in the lurch due to the whims of the university.” told The Student: “Choosing which courses to take is a major decision for
any student, so they deserve maximum before enrolling. “Edinburgh’s universities need to end any unfair practices which leave students needlessly frustrated about their choices.” Some universities reserve the right to increase fees year on year, with students at Kings College London reporting a £1,200 increase in tuition. The University of Edinburgh has all students. A spokesperson told The Student: “The University of Edinburgh continues to be committed to providing clear information on our terms and conditions – with changes from students and cutting edge research. “We understand the impact of
fee changes on our students and national undergraduate students in 2014/15, allowing them to budget for their entire course.” However, changes to courses with little notice continue to inconvenience students, as one Edinburgh student commented: “It is frustrating that the University can change locations, sometimes on a weekly basis, without giving a minimum of 24 hours notice.” All universities contacted by The Student denied their terms were unreasonable and many contested the investigation’s credibility. Responding to the investigation in an open letter to the student body, The Royal College of Art stated it “categorically rejects any suggestion that its terms are unfair”. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for St
We have always said that the ways that universities can currently dramatically change - or sometimes entirely close courses during a student’s studies is completely unacceptable. A student who has applied to study a specific study should not be left in the lurch”. - Megan Dunn, VicePresident, National Union of Students
“The whole purpose of education is to learn how to change – it’s a process of evolution, courage in the face of surprise, and letting go of expectations. So a survey which is, at its heart, intolerant of change world-leading HE sector. “Any examination which fails to only 0.8 per cent of respondents to have met its standards of best practice, must surely question the plausibility of its criteria.”
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Anti-animal testing group employs student ‘spies’ Continued from Front Page
he group will also occasionally publish names and photos of researchers to encourage social pressure to change their behaviour, although it claims it has yet to do so at Edinburgh for strategic purposes. In reference to the practices, a statement on their website claims: “Those that abuse animals for a living don’t want others to know what they do, many are to [sic] ashamed to even tell their children how they make their blood money. We do not believe they should be given the cover of anonymity.” Elsewhere, the website states: “Students should be […] given a taste of the peaceful protests and public pressure they are going to experience for the rest of their lives should they pick animal abuse as a career.” A spokesman for NOAV declined
handed out so far. Payments are generally made in cash, and are often anonymous. The organisation’s actions have come under criticism both within and beyond the University. Professor Margaret Frame, Director of Research at the University of Edinburgh, called it “an extremely unpleasant campaign.” “I do not think these are acceptable approaches to students,” she told The Student. Ghazaleh Mohammadi-Zaniani, fourth year medicine student, The Student: “What that society is doing is deplorable. Sadly expected though.” “I don’t think this campaign is entirely fair,” fourth year veterinarian student Lisa-Ann Ying told The Student. “Students who are known to carry out this research should have their work more carefully analysed in
operations at Edinburgh, nor any
they probably have crossed ethical
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guidelines,” she added, in contrast to what she saw as the blanket condemenation of all animal researchers by NOAV.
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If people are proud of experimenting on animals they will be pleased to have their names linked to it.” - William Evans, spokesman for National Organisation Anti-Vivisection
act of naming and shaming individual researchers involved.” William Evans of NOAV defended its techniques, telling the The Student: “If people are proud of experimenting on animals they will be pleased to have their names linked to it.” The organisation has stressed that it is acting within the law, and implores its activists to do so on its website. An analysis by The Student of the Data
the use of animals in research and testing and advocate transparency,
NOAV appears to be acting within its rights as a data processor under the statute. However, the analysis also revealed that such collection may be subject to legal challenge under section 10 of the act if the data is likely to provide unwarranted distress to the individual. The success of such a challenge would hinge on the severity of the distress to the individual and the existence of a public interest on behalf of the organisation. NOAV representatives had not
tactics to acquire information, nor the
Data Protection Act by the time The
Other anti-vivisectionist organisations have distanced themselves from NOAV’s strategies. Speaking to The Student, Martin Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
Student went to press. actions generally, a spokesman told The Student: “There is nothing unlawful in collecting information about the use of animals in experiments and publishing when this is in the public interest. Our actions other media outlet.” The University says it has taken notice of the campaign and developed its own mechanisms for complaints. A university spokesperson told The Student: “Further information has been circulated to personal tutors and student support teams in relevant Schools. Any student who feels School who will be able to discuss their concerns directly.” Police Scotland have also been monitoring the campaign. They advised students with concerns of harassment to contact them on 101, and pledged that they “would investigate any complaint that was made to us.”
Newspaper group charges students to publish stories
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ewsquest, the third largest regional and local newspaper publisher in the UK, has launched a collaboration scheme in which students are charged £120 to have content published online and to get a reference from the editor. introduced via email to universities students to write an article per month over the span of eight months, after which they receive the letter of reference. The scheme also includes a competition amongst the writers, the top three contenders of which become the face of the scheme the following year, featuring on all promotional material. The £120 fee is comprised of a £100 cost to the university and a £20 registration fee. Diana Jarvis, coordinator for the scheme, called it “an exciting and unique chance to experience working for a local paper”, adding that it “allows students to build up a portfolio of their published work.” However, the program has come under heavy criticism in the media. Media organisations have called out Newsquest for lacking integrity and questioned its commitment to
producing quality journalism over advancing monetary gains. Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary for the National Union of words for the publisher.
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The unpaid intern has become the scourge of the media profession now Newsquest is asking for journalist students to actually pay for a by-line.” - Michelle Stanistreet, General Secretary, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) She said in a statement: “The unpaid intern has become the scourge of the media profession - now Newsquest is asking for journalist students to actually pay for a by-line. “The company’s cynicism beggars belief, and preys on young people desperate to get a break in a competitive industry.” Dash Sekhar, Vice President University
Students
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By Sameen Hayat @sameenhayatv
Newsquest, the company at the centre of the controversy, is one of the largest media groups in the UK excuse to create a revenue stream from talented students, who may not be experienced enough to know they can turn elsewhere.” Upon Newsquest’s plans going public, anger emerged within the student journalist community. Writers felt taken advantage of in what are already dire circumstances for graduates. Speaking to The Student, Jasmine Andersson, editor-in-chief of Leeds University’s The Gryphon, drew
Association
the organisation: “We are hugely disappointed that the news group Newsquest is using the competitive job market as an
concerns for students wishing to enter the profession. “It now costs £9,000 to study a Newspaper Journalism MA at City University, which is broaching on
low-income backgrounds,” she told The Student.
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To ask people for such a substantial amount of money takes advantage of the vulnerable, and corrupts any institution that wishes to call itself a credible publication.” -Jasmine Andersson, editorin-chief, The Gryphon She added: “To ask people for such a substantial amount of money takes
advantage of the vulnerable, and corrupts any institution that wishes to call itself a credible publication.” Jack May, editor-in-chief of The Cambridge Student, told The Student: “It’s disgusting, and I hope all student journalists will boycott the scheme in the hope that it fails.” He stated his belief that with a meaningful student journalism experience, young writers can take on the work force without having to resort to such measures. “At The Cambridge Student, we give writers and editors experience producing top-quality student journalism that stands them in great stead for going out to the wider world.”
4 17th February 2015 www.studentnewspaper.org
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GRAPHIC: ETHAN DEWITT
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Gender inequality still prevalent at Scottish universities By Tom Wrench @TheStudentPaper
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recent report has shown that just 22 per cent of university professors across Scotland are female. The study, undertaken by the Scottish newspaper The Herald, also revealed that only 45 per cent of the total academic workforce are women. The number of female professorships has, however, increased from 18.3 per cent. Abertay University in Dundee has the lowest proportion of female professors, where just seven per cent are women. With 40 per cent, Queen
The trend of low numbers of female
professorships is not just restricted to Scotland. Across the UK, only one in
the number of female professors at
to The Times Higher Education.
just under 20 per cent, despite women
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university’s academic workforce. Women are more likely to apply to
What we have to accept is you cannot change 500 plus years of history overnight” - Anne Richards Vice Convener of the University of Edinbugh
time before we are anywhere close to parity. the
than men, with UCAS admissions data applicants were female. In addition, there is an issue with inequality of pay between men and women at the universities. At a question and answer session
A similar study conducted by the ards, Vice Convener of The Universithe universities with lowest numbers of female professors tend to be the more research-intensive Russell Group institutions.
She said: “You should be in no doubt that both the Court, in terms of how
a question from The Student on the
university.
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My colleagues in HR are pedantic about producing the means for gender equality.” - Sir Timothy O’Shea Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinbugh “What we have to accept is you
Renumeration
Committee,
ask for evidence about how a particular promotion, male or female, will “We look at how an external ap-
Sir Timothy O’Shea, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of The University of sponse to The Student: “We’re very We’ve worked very hard at improv-
17th February 2015 5 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Conservationist calls for end to Edinburgh World Heritage status
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eading urban conservationist, David Black, is calling on UNESCO to take away Scotland’s renowned heritage status it has held since 1955. Black has been heavily critical of Edinburgh’s city authorities, condemning a series of architectural decisions conducted within the city’s historic cityscape. city’s Southside Association, a group that was established in the 1970s to combat the expansion of Edinburgh University. He has been assembling a report on various incidences of what he claims to be illegal planning and development taking place in and around the city, particularly those involving listed buildings. Next month, he plans to submit the report to the international heritage body headquarters in New York. During an interview with Edinburgh Evening News, Black said: “At the time [1995], Edinburgh was seen as a prime example of an old town and new town co-existing well. “But since then we have seen one poor planning decision after another, from St Andrew Square to the Parliament building and Princes Street.” Over the past few years, the city has undergone various architectural reconstructions - most notably, the
concrete building located on Princes Street when it opened during the Christmas of 2011. This was further accompanied by a series of demolitions of B-listed buildings in St. Andrews Square which Black has labelled ‘urbicide’.
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This is not just some old fogey talking who doesn’t like anything modern. I like the Festival Theatre, for example. But I think there is a balance between preserving the best of what we have and welcoming the best of the new.” - David Black, Conservationist
Image: WIkImedIa Commons
By Amanda Ho @TheStudentPaper
The Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood, one of the new buildings criticised by David Black The most recent development involves the plan to transform the 190-year-old Royal High School on hopes of boosting the city’s economy. “This is not just some old fogey talking who doesn’t like anything modern. I like the Festival Theatre, for example. But I think there is a balance to be struck between preserving the best of what we have and welcoming the best of the new - and what we’re getting, generally, is not the best,” said Black. However, University of Edinburgh
McEwan, disagrees with Black. “The Royal High School may be a valuable building, but it’s pointless to have it sit there empty and deteriorate. It would simply not help Edinburgh and if it weren’t used productively, it would just as easily be lost as an architectural treasure. “Edinburgh is such a great city to grow up in. When I’m working in the studio I have this unobstructed view of the castle to work under every day, and not many cities in the world are lucky enough to have that.
“It’s great to have such a variety of the old town and new town, along with the new developments such as the Parliament.” Despite the controversy, Edinburgh Council has expressed a strong desire to retain its historical status with the aim of maintaining its steady stream of international tourism, preserve its current historical sites and to provide funding to attractions under most threat. Ian Pretty, the city council’s planning convener, said: “Being a capital city encompassing a living and working
World Heritage site, it is inevitable that new developments will be attracted to the centre, and this is important for the city to evolve. “However, we are committed to managing this process carefully and ensuring that the greatest consideration is given to its historic environment.” Furthermore, he has also assured members of the public that the Council will continue to work closely with Historic Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage in the hopes of the city keeping its prestigious title.
University launches new centre for study of learning difficulties By Lily Settari @TheStudentPaper
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new centre supporting children and young people with
is to be opened at the University of Edinburgh. The Salvesen Mindroom Centre to Understand and Resolve Learning in the UK, working in cooperation with the Scottish charity Mindroom as well as the National Health Service (NHS). Researchers and clinicians will also draw on the expertise of similar existing institutions at the University of Edinburgh, such as the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research.
every school class across the UK. The most common are dyslexia, language impairments, developmental coordination disorder and attention Mindroom supports families and individuals and organisations which work with people with learning Sophie Dow founded Mindroom in 2000, and as a mother of a student to see that research, outreach and will be placed under the same roof. Dow said: “This new approach encourages essential collaboration between relevant organisations which will ultimately save valuable time in obtaining help for children and their families. “We are absolutely delighted to be
part of this exciting and groundbreaking new Centre.”
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This new approach encourages essential collaboration between relevant organisations which will ultimately save valuable time in obtaining help for children and their families. We are absolutely delighted to be part of this exciting and groundbreaking new Centre.” - Sophie Dow, Founder, Mindroom The Salvesen Mindroom Centre for to Understand and Resolve Learning
Alastair and Elizabeth Salvesen. Mr Salvesen is the Chairman of Dawnfresh Seafood, one of Scotland’s descendant of the Salvesen shipping empire. His wealth was estimated at £1.2 billion in 2012. He explained his interest in the centre: “By gathering meaningful statistics and undertaking research
term.” Salvesen also said although students labelled as stupid anymore, there required to solve the problems of those students before they build up frustration. Professor Jonathan Seckl, Vice Principal of Planning, Resources and Research Policy at the Queen’s Medical Research Institute, said
tially neglected” area of research, despite their common occurrence. He continued: “This donation will enable us to advance this vital area of medical research into improved practice. “The close relationship between the Centre’s partners will maximise the necessary knowledge and expertise to inform policy both in the NHS, education and voluntary sectors.” Professor Anne O’Hare is director-designate of the new Centre and a consultant paediatrician. She said: “I am highly delighted to be able to lead research and drive the centre towards transforming the care of children and young people with developmental learning disorders. “Through the Salvesens’ gift we will be able to deliver a better approach to supporting children with the wide range of conditions that impact on their learning.”
6 17th February 2015 www.studentnewspaper.org
@Rupertradley I will never ever get bored of watching people sprint for class #eduni @LydiaRyMu Substituting cups of tea for central heating. Mixed success. #eduni
Ticket touting is part of a toxic culture We should not let profit hungry third party retailers inflate ticket prices -
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@CookeEd Slightly worried that the intro to this chapter of my dissertation (on gladiators as sport) makes me sound a wee bit bloodthirsty #Eduni
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@belouschris I have calmed down sufficiently enough from having seen 50 Shades earlier today to be able to rationally say: WHAT THE F*CK.
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@librarycatriot I’m embarrassed that I attend a uni with a bunch of people who can’t tell the difference between the library’s IN and OUT doors #EdUni
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@emily_momo RENT was amazing <3 #edunifootlights #EdUni @CookeEd I wish every week was #ILW, not for the no lectures, but because it means the library is blissfully empty #EdUni @eusavps Represent students and stand in the Eusa elections! #eusa #eduni #democracy #eusaelections15 @stephenmaughan2 Happy that Morrison is #eduni rector. Would’ve been good if more ppl had hit the 1 and 2 keys on their laptop to push the turnout past 14%
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@kelseydownie Just heard someone say “I’m finding it hard to find time to write my dissertation because of my modelling“ #EdUni @RexyHugill Nowhere in the world is the phrase “better by comparison” more apt than the Potterrow toilets on any other day than a Saturday night #eduni
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LGBT+ history month is not tokenism Already marginalised groups definitely deserve a month of better coverage
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Fifty Shades normalises abuse, not BDSM
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he Fifty Shades franchise could have been part of progress towards destroying stigmas around BDSM and kink – had a healthy, accurate BDSM relationship been portrayed. Instead, these supposed ‘erotic romance’ novels perpetuate the myths that BDSM is inherently abusive and ‘abnormal’, and contribute to the ongoing upholding of rape culture by posing Christian Grey’s controlling behaviour and stalking as only adds to this, and, by popularising the damaging dynamic between Grey and Anastasia Steele, serves only to normalise abuse rather than BDSM.
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There are three key principles BDSM practitioners uphold: their activities should be ‘safe, sane and consensual’ for all parties involved.”
There are three key principles BDSM practitioners uphold: their activities should be “safe, sane and consensual” for all parties involved. Fifty Shades categorically does not show this. To start with, the play which Grey and Steele engage in is not safe. Although safe words, which are vital in BDSM for ensuring that any participant can exit a scene without question if they are uncomfortable, at risk of harm, or not enjoying it, are discussed as part of the ‘contract’, at no point are they used when they should be. Moreover, their play is not consensual. Steele does not actually sign Grey’s ‘contract’; she is pressured by Grey to participate, and while at some points she could arguably be enjoying it, she does not seem to understand BDSM and is forcing herself to be a part of a world which is not inherently appealing to her. Finally, their play is not sane; for instance, the sex scene where Grey takes his anger out on Steele about some unexplained business BDSM is about mutual pleasure and exploration, not about the Dominant taking their anger out on the Submissive – that is abuse, and BDSM is not a method of anger management.
‘contract’ alone is not enough; though Steele does have some say in what can be done, she admits that she has no idea what her boundaries and desires are, and this is something Grey takes advantage of. Grey’s failure to inform Steele about what he is going to do next is not healthy. Indeed, it is irresponsible and unrealistic that Grey and Steele start engaging in BDSM so quickly after he decides to take her virginity (what he calls a ‘situation’ which he has to ‘rectify’, a notion which speaks volumes about the rape culture and patriarchal, heteronormative values the franchise upholds, as well as the fact that Grey is unapologetically possessive of Steele).
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Fifty Shades is rife with very serious problems surrounding consent, rape culture and abusive relationships, and it does nothing to destigmatise kink and BDSM.”
the sex, however. Throughout, Grey is more than dominating; he attempts to control who Steele can spend time
Image: alex PaPPajohn
By Chris Belous @belouschris
Communication is also a huge
Image: alex PaPPajohn flIckr
Far from destigmatising BDSM, the film really perpetuates dangerous attitudes
Fifty Shades does not offer an accurate portrayal of BDSM practices with, what she can talk about with her loved ones, and what she can eat and drink. He stalks her, turning up at her workplace even though they live running errands and even breaking into her home before assaulting her. Fifty Shades is rife with very serious problems surrounding consent, rape culture and abusive relationships, and it does nothing to destigmatise kink and BDSM. Emotional and sexual
partially marketed as a guidebook for couples to have ‘more exciting’ sex (as if anyone apart from you and your sexual partners gets to decide what that means). We can only hope that viewers who are curious about what it actually entails, because it’s not the abuse which Grey puts Steele through, and it’s unacceptable that the franchise is so widely endorsed and defended for all its issues.
Margaret Thatcher doesn’t need a museum A publicly-funded museum is an inappropriate memorial for the Iron Lady By Lucy Shiels @StudentComment
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he late Margaret Thatcher and everything that she stood for – democracy, a strong state and privatisation – is still a thorn in the side of many Britons, especially those who bore the brunt of her most stringent privatisation policies. Her funeral cost the taxpayer £3.6 million, been put forward to build a museum in her memory, again to be paid for by the taxpayer. It is a gross insult to Thatcher herself and to Britons that both of these avenues of commemoration have been set about against her wishes and are not privately funded in accordance with her beliefs. There are some important questions
to consider with regards to the structure and purpose of this museum. The “special relationship” between Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan is legendary but to have the Thatcher Museum modelled on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California is almost akin to connecting two parts of a heartshaped-best-friends-charm, together forever. The friendship between Thatcher and Reagan should feature as part of her legacy within the museum but the structure of the building would be better modelled on herself and her ideals rather than on her pal’s. The big question is what this museum will contain. The Thatcher Papers are an invaluable resource to historians and political scientists but they have already made their home at the Churchill College in Cambridge.
There are only so many Red Boxes and sturdy handbags owned by Thatcher that can possibly deck-out an exhibition. Also, recently a tissue bearing her lipstick imprint was sold at auction for £1,950. Since her death in 2013 there has been an increase in such memorabilia being procured by private buyers; these artefacts could be proudly displayed in her public-funded museum. This is an irony that would surely not be lost on the Iron Lady.
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It is a gross insult to Thatcher herself and to Britons that both of these avenues of commemoration have been set about against her wishes and are not privately funded in accordance with her beliefs.”
Moreover, creating this museum as an educational centre takes away resources and funding from other established museums that are already struggling in the current cultural climate. It is with great hypocrisy that the prospect of the Thatcher Museum has been put forward. The current government’s decision to take a broad-sword to British culture whilst instigating a mammoth memorial to a stateswoman who is still vehemently despised is a great enigma that even Alan Turing would struggle to unravel.
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It is with great hypocrisy that the prospect of the Thatcher Museum has been put forward.” Quite obviously the ultimate reason for constructing a museum in Thatcher’s honour is to ensure that her legacy lives on. Considering that
politicians of all time, it stands to reason that her memory will live on past the life of her most vociferous critics. A statue in Parliament Square her political importance is equal to her predecessors who stand there and it is close to her true home – Westminster.
minister to become an ‘-ism’ should be commemorated by the British public in some way. Her role in ensuring that Britain remained a strong actor on the international stage, that Soviet Communism disappeared to the fringes of history and that the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States remained an important aspect to foreign policy, is extremely
and public opinion of the Iron Lady is tantamount and may take time, but the wait will be worthwhile to make sure that the tone is right.
8 17th February 2015 www.studentnewspaper.org
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The SNP has sparked change in Scottish left By Matt Parrott @StudentComment
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ith the red rose of Labour expected to decay into a few sparse petals while the virile SNP thrives on the scorched earth of post-referendum politics, the map of Westminster concations of that “once-in-a-generation” event. Whatever the consequences of the SNP’s growth for the make-up of the UK Parliament - be it the surest way to another Tory government, as Labour aides repeat ad nauseum; a minority Labour regime reliant on SNP support; or something much worse - any blame must be laid squarely at Labour’s door. In abandoning any pretence of following its founding principles and acting in synchronicity with its erstwhile enemies for the sake of preserving a dysfunctional union, it
has both alienated its traditional voter base and signed away once and for all any claim it had of being a respectable party of the left. It is this which will reverberate long into Scottish politics. It is only natural that into the vacuum of representation caused by such a pyrrhic victory have stepped the much-taunted ‘Tartan Tories’, wearing the mantle of social democracy. This is not to say that the SNP has not hesitantly embraced social-democratic ideas - even putting some into practice in the face of Labour opposition merely that the guise of social justice once dreamt of lowering Corporation Tax to the levels of pre-crisis Ireland. Yet their steadfast opposition to austerity, and vocal denunciation of such humiliating coalition initiatives as the ‘Bedroom Tax’ and the ATOS-administered, target-based Work Capability Assessments has secured for them a reputation alluring
to Labour apostates. However, the current strength of the SNP lies in its being both a ruthlessly government, and a hub for disillusioned Labour supporters. With the it is the underlying volatility of the second that is likely to lead to any seismic events in the future of Scottish politics. Should the party tire of its current approach, it will haemorrhage Westminster frittered away North Sea Oil & Gas revenue. By then, there may For this, we need only look to the explosion of extra-parliamentary movements concurrent to the decline origins in the hectic atmosphere of the referendum campaign. One of these, The Scottish Left Project, has as its object the presentation of a viable left alternative at the 2016 Holyrood elections. Learning lessons from their European counterparts, they are determined to unify the pro-independence Scottish left at a time when both the anti-independence left, and
image: fw42
Despite the referendum loss, Scottish politics will continue to move forward
The Yes campaign was part of the amplification of Scotland’s political left the right are increasingly fractured. Furthermore, the other pro-independence movements, each claiming thousands of members, are continuing to hold conferences, and very clearly not going anywhere. If they choose to throw their weight behind a party, Holyrood’s system of Proportional Representation will ensure that their voices are heard. What all this means for Scotland is a marked leftward shift in political discourse, and the idea of independence, newly liberated
political canvas for some time to come. While Scotland may not have won total sovereignty on 18 September, its gains from this lost opportunity are arguably far greater. With the SNP at the helm, and energetic upstarts biting at its heels, Scotland has emerged highly politicised nation; a nation indeed to be reckoned with. What will go down in history as the SNP’s greatest loss, may yet be Scotland’s greatest triumph.
Ukraine should not quash dissenting views
F
or more than a year, eastern Ukraine has been a military and ideological battleground. In the midst of competing narratives on the
security services. According to the authorities, the airing of his beliefs violated Articles 111 and 114 of the Criminal Code, committing the crimes of treason and espionage, respectively. If found guilty, 15 years of imprisonment await Kotsaba. To deem the potential penalty entirely incongruous with the ‘crime’ committed would be to
Russia, more recent developments
themselves perceive the situation. The arrest of Ukrainian journalist Ruslan Kotsaba, a respected war correspondent for Channel 112, for posting a video online which expressed his desire for his countrymen to purposely avoid conscription, conveys the dangerously social liberties in the country. But the treatment of Kotsaba also forms a working example of the necessity of civil dissent - not only in a democracy, but in any society wishing to minimise harm to its own citizens. Expressed in the viral medium of the YouTube video, Ruslan Kotsaba’s declaration to avoid the draft has been dealt with severely by the Ukrainian
His current arrest is indeed enough to shroud in doubt the moral standpoint of the Ukrainian authorities regarding the matter. Certainly, to associate treason perspective to that propagated by the governing party is, in a word, nonsensical. The equation of active, healthy scepticism of political policy with a tangible threat to domestic security belongs not in 21st century Europe, but in the absolutist monarchy of bygone days. Treason itself is doubtless an archaic concept, used in this case to repress public
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The Ukrainian authorities are guilty of unashamedly mobilising antiquated political rhetoric in order to protect themselves from an everincreasing number of their own citizens calling for a return to peace.” Ruslan Kotsaba’s courageous act, in addition, unveils the necessity of citizens’ dissent to successful social organisation. In his celebrated text “Why Societies Need Dissent”, Cass. R Sunstein outlines the pertinent requirement of the active practice of a citizen’s right to dissent in a modern-day context. Indeed, many of his core arguments are visible in Ukraine, the most telling of which entails that, for dissent to have the desired impact, it must be given
Sacha makSymenko
By Oliver Lemarchand Senior Comment Writer
mobilising antiquated political rhetoric in order to protect themselves from an ever-increasing number of their own citizens calling for a return to peace.
image:
In the context of the Ukraine crisis, there is a duty to hear calls for peace
Protest scenes and other dissent have been rife in Ukraine since late 2013 in taking the swift action they did in imprisoning the journalist, Ukraine spotlight presently focused on the east of the country and increased attention for Kotsaba’s urge to dodge the draft. Consequently, Amnesty International, alongside various anti-war organisations, have publicly called for Kotsaba’s release.
thus far led directly to the deaths of over authorities are guilty of unashamedly
generated
by
Kotsaba’s
dissent
now been signed, the thousands of lives lost, some in the most atrocious
of circumstances, cannot simply be forgotten. Ruslan Kotsaba’s declaration was motivated by a desire to put an end to bloodshed and violence between his fellow countrymen. Without such active dissent, the tolerance of such acts appears to augment. Intolerance of public dissent is an ominous sign for Ukraine, and the legal duty to perform military service should always be countered by the moral duty to dissent from such bloody, brutal military action such as that witnessed on the Russo-Ukrainian border.
17th February 2015 9 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Comment
The UK should respect the ECHR’s decision By Olivia Morgan @lvmorgan
L
ast week the European Court of Human Rights ruled that prisoners, or former prisoners, are not entitled to any compensation despite the UK’s continued violation of prisoners’ rights to vote. Ten years on from the case of Hirst vs. the UK, ruled that the UK’s blanket ban on allowing prisoners to participate in elections was illegal, astonishingly little headway has been made.
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Of course, prisons exist to increase public safety and deter people from criminal activity, but they are equally important in their function to rehabilitate prisoners and encourage civic responsibility” In 2005 the Court at Strasbourg
ruled that the UK’s uncompromising ban on prisoners’ voting rights violates Article 3 under Protocol 1 of the European Convention of Human Rights: the right to free elections, The court recognised that in particular cases it may be appropriate to remove a person’s right to vote, but stated that a general and automatic ban is a disproportionate reaction relating to a vitally important right. over the last few centuries from the 1800s property right, which had no have owned land, to a human right of today. A question mark remains taken place concerning its changing ly, its absence from key, more recent People Act of 1983. The controversy that erupts from for dispute relates to the rights of prisoners and how exactly the right to attitudes toward criminals care little for what happens to them during the time that they spend behind bars.
This arguably makes an enormous contribution to the increasing number
estimated at around 60 per cent. In 2010, David Cameron said: “It makes me physically ill even to contemplate having to give the vote to anyone who is in prison”, championing the exaggerated political rhetoric that only exacerbates such hostility among the general public.
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The UK must comply with the ECHR as a result of its own choice and the exercise of its sovereignty” Of course, prisons exist to increase public safety and deter people from criminal activity, but they are equally important in their function to rehabilitate prisoners and encourage civic responsibility. Denying prisoners the vote regardless of the length of their sentence or the seriousness of their crime achieves neither. The second cause for dispute stems from a preoccupation with who decides whether prisoners can vote, which often overrides the key issue of whether or not prisoners should be allowed to vote. Strasbourg has had a degree of power over the UK since 1990, when
Image: Sam Felder
The right to vote is crucially important for prisoner rehabilitation
The right to vote: but should it be denied to prisoners? The ECHR says not the Convention was amended with Protocol 11 and accepted by the European Council and the UK. In essence, it calls for the UK to comply with the Convention. By disregarding its terms, the UK is therefore breaching international law. Those who see the International Court’s power as an infringement of the UK’s sovereignty must be confused about how the UK came to place. The UK must comply with the
EHRC as a result of its own choice and the exercise of its sovereignty. To opt out of the Human Rights Convention when it seems convenient to do so is to disregard the contract of the treaties that were willingly entered into. Additionally, those who fear a ‘loss of sovereignty’ must bear in mind that the International Court is not dictating a solution, but saying that the presently upheld position of a blanket ban cannot feasibly comply with the EHRC.
HSBC revelations need to be fully investigated It is obvious that the sector has not learnt from the 2008 financial crisis By Beth Sexton Senior Comment Writer
T
his week HSBC, “the world’s local bank”, have found themselves
scandal. Shocking revelations have indicated that HSBC actively assisted corrupt organisations and individuals in avoiding tax on an unprecedented level. Disconcerting as this may be, what remains even more unfathomable is the distinct lack of action on the part of HM Revenue and Customs, who have not moved to investigate - even in the face of an apology from HSBC. To complicate matters further, it appears that during this period, top level HSBC executive Stephen Green was appointed as Trade Minister by David Cameron,
which begs the question, exactly how much did our government know?
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This latest banking scandal only serves to highlight the inordinate amount of power given to banks and the ingrained nature of corruption”
Danny Alexander has called for those instrumental in the tax avoidance to be tried as criminals, and yet there is a clear reluctance to follow this through. This is perhaps understandable when we consider the nature of the relationship between the ruling parties and banks, but this does not make it acceptable. Furthermore, the audacity of Stephen
Green to accept a government position while his company was consistently breaking the rules displays exactly how morally reprehensible many banking executives have become. This latest banking scandal only serves to highlight the inordinate amount of power given to banks and the ingrained nature of corruption. The
very unlikely to face any legal action. Ultimately, the system is tilted in favour of the bankers and they are fully aware of this fact. Far from learning from the mistakes of the credit crunch, it seems as though HSBC are happy to continue exploiting their position without any consideration of the possible consequences.
functioning in our society, an elitism which enables the wealthy to commit
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thought. Worse still is the trite apology blatantly admit their wrongdoing. Far from being a clear admission of guilt and regret, the statement reads very similarly to the response to the 2008 banking crisis and displays a complete lack of remorse. The fact that HSBC do not even bother to refute the claims surely indicates a worrying disassociation from their actions and suggests
Far from learning from the mistakes of the credit crunch, it seems as though HSBC are happy to continue exploiting their position without any consideration of the possible consequences”
The silence on the part of the British prosecution service speaks a thousand words. The message is clear: with the right amount of wealth and power, it is
to imagine such a relaxed attitude had the source of this tax avoidance ‘scroungers’ of the welfare system despite overwhelming evidence indicating that the tax avoidance of big businesses costs the taxpayer millions actions are merely symptomatic of the skewed class system operating in the UK today. Ultimately, the prosecution service should follow the example of Switzerland and Belgium and launch a full scale investigation. If the claims are substantiated, those involved
However, it seems that this is unlikely to happen; those responsible will likely be absolved of responsibility, and the government will continue to wage war on the most disenfranchised in our society. This sad fact is one that needs to be changed immediately.
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Comment
Harmful Islamophobia continues to distort our news coverage and wider culture By Umera Rashid @StudentComment
I
received a news alert on my phone on the day it happened about the Copenhagen shooting, of which we all undoubtedly have heard about by now. Yet I received no news alert when, just four days earlier, Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha were brutally murdered by Craig Hicks in a cold-blooded terrorist attack in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There were no headlines or convirtually no news coverage, and no assumption of guilt placed on the perpetrator. It took President Obama three days to succumb to pressure and acknowledge the incident, issuing a half-hearted statement of condolence to the families. This is an indicator of the shameless discriminatory sentiment in the west
when comparing the news coverage of incidents where the victims are Muslim and non-Muslim. It has become clear, and frighteningly acceptable, that the label of ‘terrorist’ or ‘extremist’ is one which can only be applied to those with a Muslim name as well as, more often than not, people of colour. The label is an empty proclamation, reserved for those bearded, turban-wearing fanatics to deprive them of any humanity or rights of defence. On the other hand, Craig Hicks, a 46-year-old white ‘anti-theist’, will not be branded a terrorist by those speaking or writing about him. He will be humanised, normalised and defended by his white, western counterparts. The focus on Craig Hicks when covered by the television news outlet CBS, was not on the fact he had carried out terrorising hate crime, ending the lives of three individuals with
bright futures, but on whether the murders may have been committed over a perfectly normal dispute over a parking spot, which of course is entirely reasonable. There is a wide and open tide of Islamophobia crushing the western world. It is pressurising Muslims who are trying to get on with their everyday lives, whilst being soaked up by those non-Muslims who assimilate unquestionably to the dictations of mainstream media and political leaders. Muslims in the west have become second class citizens, and using the actions of ‘terrorists’ is apparently entire religious group. Anti-Muslim sentiment has even been enshrined in legislation, coming in its most recent form as the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, where ‘terrorism’ is yet again used as an excuse to strip Muslims of their civil liberties and freedoms. Muslim women in headscarves and men in beards are stared at everywhere they go. We are constantly forced to present ourselves as ordinary people,
Image: Belal Khan flIcKr
Anti-Muslim discrimination remains rife in the media
attempting to distance ourselves from ‘terrorists’. We worry about discrimination when writing our Muslim name at the top of our CVs, and hear the change of tone when we tell a stranger on the other end of the phone our name. The world expects us to explain ourselves when a stranger commits a crime we have nothing to do with. We are subliminally told that our blood is worth less when world leaders gather to show solidarity over the Charlie Hebdo attacks, but ignore the daily massacre of Muslims in western-in-
The list of examples of anti-Muslim discrimination in all mediums is vast. Films like American Sniper demonise Muslims and present them as worthless barbarians. Hysteria-inducing articles by mainstream newspapers prompt readers with questions of whether they are “worried about Muslims in Britain”. Hashtags like #killallmuslims and the fact that half of all mosques in Britain have been attacked are all indicators of rising violence against the many who follow the faith of Islam. When will the oppression and silencing of Muslims stop?
17th February 2015 11 www.studentnewspaper.org
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The rich heritage of the university rectorship By Cassie Lord @StudentFeatures
L
ast week, following a win of 62 per cent of the overall votes, Steve Morrison was elected as The University of Edinburgh’s rector, but what is being a rector all about? The position of rector has a long and prestigious history. It was originally created in the 19th century by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858, but the role has developed over time. The rector is elected every the University, and their primary role is to preside over the meetings of the University’s governing body, the University Court. The rector plays a key part in representing the interests
the university, and works closely with Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA). Although in previous years students were able to be elected as rector, this is now no longer the case, and neither matriculated students nor members
to be put forward for election. Many well-known people have served as rector, including Winston Churchill, television presenter Muriel Gray, scientist Sir Alexander Fleming, musician Donnie Munro, Gordon Brown, and David Lloyd George, who was serving as Prime Minister when elected in 1920. Amongst all these famous names, a three-legged tabby cat called Marmalade was put forward as a candidate in 1994. Unfortunately, paw print signature being deemed
indistinct. Following in the footsteps of such people - and felines - is Steve Morrison, an alumnus of the university, who is also a TV producer and broadcaster. He came to read Politics at the University of Edinburgh in 1965, and now holds an undergraduate degree and an Honorary Doctorate in Social to run for rector, in 1969. After university, Morrison went on to a
Granada Film, which won two Oscars, later founding All3Media, Britain’s largest independent TV production group. He also played an important role in the formation of the campaign group Third World First, which later became the anti-poverty organisation People and Planet. After being elected, Steve Morrison said:
“I am delighted that the University
have supported my vision for the future of education and will bring it to life in the modern world. I will do everything I can to repay their trust. Edinburgh is a great university.” When Mr Morrison was a student here in the 1960s, there was some controversy over the election of the journalist and author Malcolm Muggeridge. The main issue under discussion was that a recent motion from the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) at the time asked for contraceptives to be made freely available from the Student Health service. Muggeridge interpreted this as a demand for free contraceptives, to which he was so opposed that he resigned from the role in January 1968 at a sermon in St. Giles’ Cathedral. The University of Edinburgh asked
graduates to send in memories of previous rectorial elections, and John Matthews, a Mathematics graduate, recalls how the then Editor-in-Chief of The Student, Anna Coote, orchestrated a “bating campaign against Muggeridge who they saw as hopelessly old fashioned”. Matthews, being secretary of the SRC, went on to organise Muggeridge’s replacement. Throughout its long history, the
-and only - woman to be elected being Muriel Gray in 1988. Though students can no longer be elected, as long as the Rector works well alongside EUSA, the students’ opinions and interests should be represented, as we shall hopefully see with Steve Morrison’s next 3 years.
Three-parent babies: scientific breakthrough or ethical breach?
T
he UK is now set to become the only country in the world to legally create babies using the
Last Tuesday, MPs in the House of Commons voted to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act of 2008 in order to legalise mitochondrial DNA transfer, enabling babies to be created from one father, one mother and one female egg donor. Once approved by the House of Lords, this new technique could be put into practice in 2016. It will allow women who are known carriers of defective mitochondrial DNA to be able to successfully conceive and give birth without passing on the defective mitochondrial genes to the next generation. This heralds a remarkable development in the management of genetically based diseases and has the potential to eradicate this particular defect from future populations, although it cannot prevent new mutations arising. However, this technique has been labelled by its critics as the ‘threeparent baby’ technique, and deemed an unsafe project that crosses an ethical line, since it will alter DNA in genes for multiple generations. chromosomal DNA. Mitochondria are organelles present in most eukaryotic cells and they have their own circular DNA. The 37 genes of mitochondria
programme the energy and calcium uptake, store and release function of the mitochondria. Our cells depend heavily upon these ‘power cells’ In humans, each cell normally contains twenty-three pairs of chromosomes, meaning that we have forty-six. Twenty-three of these are inherited from the male sperm and twenty-three from the female egg. We get our inherited characteristics from chromosomal DNA, such as skin, hair and eye colour. Both sperm and egg have mitochondria. However upon fertilisation, only the mitochondria of the egg remain intact, thus we only inherit maternal mitochondria. Therefore, without this treatment, women carrying defective mitochondrial DNA will continue to pass it on down the female line for generations. According to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, “while exact numbers of children and adults are hard to determine because so tochondrial disease are frequently misdiagnosed, we now know the disease is approaching the frequency of childhood cancers”. This month, research suggested that around 2,500 women in Britain are at risk of transmitting defective mitochondrial DNA to their newborn babies. If the Lords pass the Act, it will be legally possible to replace the mother’s own defective mitochondrial DNA with healthy mitochondrial DNA from a female donor. If successful,
the newborn child would then inherit chromosomal DNA, from the mother and father as well receiving mitochondrial DNA from the female egg donor. Some critics are therefore worried about the potential for this procedure to lead the way into ‘designer babies’. However, many argue that this change in legislation will have a profoundly progressive impact in combating mitochondrial carried diseases and furthering genetic science in general. On Monday, Lord Winston, the creator of IVF, described the technique as “no more sinister than blood transfusion”. He said that less than 0.001 per cent of the resulting child’s DNA would have been the development by arguing that: “We are not altering a child’s characteristics, nor enhancing humans in any way. The scientists are merely trying to ensure that a crippling and sometimes fatal disease is prevented and that
Another argument against the development, which was voiced on Tuesday, is that it would provide the foundation for an increasing culture plants and animals, but humans too. David King, campaigner on behalf of the group Human Genetics Alert, said: “Once you cross the ethical line, it is very hard not to take the next step of designer babies.” However, as noted above, mitochondria have
IllustratIon: JZMPJorro
By Charlotte Gower @StudentFeatures
characteristics such as appearance. David Cameron defended this saying: “We’re not playing god here, we’re just making sure that two parents who want a healthy baby can have one.” As with developments in reproductive medicine, there are some stern opponents to this idea. Most prominently, the Church of England has condemned the idea as unethical and “irresponsible”. Sir Tony Baldry, who speaks on behalf of the Church of England, opined “without a clearer picture of the role that mitochondria play in the transfer of hereditary characteristics, the Church does not feel it would be responsible to change the law at this time”. Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton, echoed this sentiment by claiming that allowing this legislation
to pass would mean that there was “no going back for society”. Most medical experts appear to be in favour, of the development. However, Dr Ted Morrow, from the University of Sussex, is not yet convinced, saying: “I have some concerns about the safety of the procedure. I’m really not happy that the reviews have been as exemplary as other people think they are.” Despite this contestation, Tuesday proved to be an unprecedented step forward for medicine, and for all the al carried diseases, it was a day of jubilation. The vote in the Commons was passed with 382 MPs in favour and 128 against.
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Features
Religion at university
We take a look at the difficulties of practicing religious faith under the pressures of student life @StudentFeatures
I
n the media recently, there have been a lot of controversial statements surrounding the compatibility of religion with university life. Just this week, The Guardian reported that: “Religion is on the wane” as “atheism has soared among young Britons”. These headlines throw light on the issue of how religious students in Edinburgh deal with university life. I interviewed four University of Edinburgh students who, perhaps surprisingly, all found it easy to maintain religious obligations. Owen, a Christian, pointed out that, “there are no obligations with Christianity. ‘Obligations’ suggests that you don’t want to do something but feel that you have to.” Whereas Adam, the Islamic Society Social Secretary, said, “I don’t
life around my religious obligations.” What’s more, conveniently-located churches and mosques make it easy to pray despite packed university schedules. These students’ experiences varied University of Edinburgh. For instance instantly, whereas Mariam, now the Vice-President of the Islamic Society, initially felt ostracised. Whilst all four of the students interviewed have now found their feet in Scotland’s capital, and the university’s Chaplaincy was unanimously thanked for its support, these interviews highlighted that Edinburgh has some pressing social issues in need of being addressed. From day one, the British university system, albeit unwittingly, isolates any students who are unwilling to participate in, or be surrounded by, alcohol-fuelled activity. Freshers’ Week is a fantastic opportunity for new students to socialise with their peers and explore exciting new places by attending university organised events. However, at these events alcohol consumption is often encouraged. Take Edinburgh University’s 2014 Freshers’ Week for instance, the ‘highlights’ of which included; Basshunter at Potterrow, a
ceilidh, Hot Dub Time Machine and The Big Cheese, all of which take place in environments which encourage intoxication. As such, many religious students instantly feel uncomfortable and even excluded from ‘university life’. EUSA attempts to include everyone in their Freshers’ Week guide with a three page spread on Faith-Based Events located towards the back of the programme. However, leaving students to return to university halls that are still in full-swing, pre-drinking mode. Mariam, the Vice-President of Islamic Society, now chooses to remove herself entirely from all situations involving alcohol, on previous experiences she admitted that, “when you’re sober and everyone else is drunk, it’s very intimidating”.
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All sober meetups finish by 9pm, leaving students to return to university halls that are still in fullswing”
Other universities have directly attempted to resolve this issue. For example, St Andrews has recently students alcohol-free accommodation. In doing so, the university acknowledges that not all students like to drink and therefore have shown a commitment towards creating an inclusive university experience for everyone. A St Andrews University spokeswoman said: “We’re proud that our Students’ Association is working to shape new attitudes towards responsible alcohol consumption and making our student experience more inclusive. We want our students to think about their lifestyle choices, and to support the choices of others.” Whilst alcohol consumption doesn’t contradict the dictates of all religions, these sentiments suggest a shared ideal of respect, upheld by both religious and non-religious students. In addition to alcohol consumption,
Image: muhammad Rehan
By Ailidh Forlan
the four interviewees addressed the widely discussed issue of ‘lad culture’. This morally dubious culture is heralded by sexist chants and racist insults; it is no surprise that the majority of our society condemns it. Clare, an Arts student and devout Catholic, spoke of how Catholic males are often pressured to give in to ‘lad culture’. Lad culture scrutinises men with fewer ‘notches on the bed post’, and if a guy is still a virgin or hasn’t had sex in a while, that is seen as a bad thing. However, when Clare asked her atheist, self-confessed ‘lad’ friend what was wrong with going through a ‘dry spell’, he sat silently with no answer. It seems that websites such as The Lad Bible, reported by league tables to be the UK’s 12th most popular site, are at the centre of this rising culture. Muslim student Adam, pointed out that, “the media encourages ‘lad culture’ via hyper-sexualisation and creating these celebrity images who abuse and take advantage of women.” Most people who involve themselves with this culture don’t seem to either question the values that are under threat, or realise that they are insulting many fellow students. Owen stated that: “Whilst the ‘lads’ love it, the scale between minor inconvenience and a genuine threat to their wellbeing.” EUSA are slowly tackling this aspect of ‘university life’ as their 2013 End Rape Culture and Lad Banter on Campus campaign starts to create better social environments on campus. In the interviews, the University of Edinburgh was largely praised for its diverse multiculturalism. Like Adam, Clare, Owen and Mariam, my atheist
mix of religions, races, ethnicities, and that’s the beauty of Edinburgh University”. However, Mariam brought to my attention that, “the university has to do more to include all of their communities because it’s not an atheist university”. For example, whilst Pollock Halls campus cafes such as Appleton Tower Foyer, neither halal nor kosher meat
lunch on campus when they are under tight time constraints. National problems such as ‘lad culture’ must be tackled on a larger scale in order to have a greater social impact. However, smaller issues including catering and accommodation can be improved at the University of Edinburgh, so that people of all religious and non-religious backgrounds have the best university experience possible.
17th February 2015 13 www.studentnewspaper.org
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The future of the written word
in a row and it’s just easier to have all of my reading materials in one place instead of carrying around loads of very heavy books.” Francesca explains. “Plus, as students we move quite
particular continues to rise, after growing constantly from 5.6 per cent of pupils reading e-books in 2010, to 14.3 per cent in 2013. Universities and schools follow the trend. For university libraries, e-books are a way to purchase more books with their limited budget. At the moment, the University of Edinburgh’s library provides access to 360,000 e-books and is continuously purchasing more. The introduction of the e-book to university libraries seems to have rendered problems however, such as a book being lent out for weeks, or a book full of notes being consigned to history.
Who, or what, is ‘The Goodness Guru’? Goodness Guru is really just your average Joe. She goes to her lectures, spends time with friends and loves a Thursday night at Opal. But Goodness Guru loves eating as healthily as possible, getting creative in the kitchen and sharing these foodie adventures through an online blog and Instagram account.
Where did the idea come from? IMAGE: MELENITA2012
W
hen literature student Francesca goes to university, she does not carry around heavy books anymore. A tablet is enough for all the books she needs for her classes. “I do buy e-books when I can for my textbooks. I feel they are just more practical in terms of comfort. Some
conducted an extensive study into its of Stavanger indicates that e-book
even cities, so it makes sense to reduce around every time”, she adds.
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Instead of searching manually through paper library catalogues, we type a few works into Google. And instead of carrying several pounds of paper from class to class, we simply download our textbooks and carry them easily around on our kindle”
found that most students were well aware of the library’s e-book service and used it frequently. According to the study, “more than 80 per cent of respondents knew that they had access to e-books through the library and had actually used them showing that eBooks have quickly become an essential part of the information mix.” However, e-books do not only change the way we carry books around, but also the reading process itself. One suggests that students use e-books for very particular purposes. According to the study, most users of e-books do not use the digital editions of books to read the whole book, but to search for
Technology has changed the way we study dramatically in the past decade. Instead of searching manually through paper library catalogues, we type a few words into Google. And instead of carrying several pounds of paper from class to class, we simply download our textbooks and carry them easily around on our kindle. Beyond university, e-book use has been increasing rapidly over the past few years. Amazon, still the dominant player on the e-book market, has just invested heavily in its electronic
“They will read the material online, occasionally bookmarking materials for future reference. This is consistent with subsequent responses where users indicate that e-books are preferred for searches and brief interaction with material, but print books are preferred for extended reading”, the researchers say. E-books provide the simple advantage of making it easier to search for particular terms, as students do not have to run from shelf to shelf at libraries to consult various books.
rate for kindle users. For 10 dollars a month, e-book owners may read as much as they want.
not seem to be the ultimate solution for studying. Even though Francesca tries to buy most of her textbooks as digital editions, she feels there are disadvantages: “I feel like I can concentrate better when I can turn proper pages and use real highlighters”, she says. Research into e-book reading habits suggests that Francesca is not alone in this. A recent study carried out by
terhouse Coopers (PwC) predicts that in the US, e-books will outsell their printed counterparts by 2018. The shows that the proportion of children and teenagers reading e-books in
Five Minutes with Isa Robinson 3rd-year geography student Isa Robinson’s blog ‘The Goodness Guru’ has earned her 10000 followers on Instagram and is frequented by some of the biggest names in the health food industry. Interview with Rory McIvor.
How the e-book is changing our experiences of reading and studying By Magdalena Liedl @lena_liedl
Features
recalling the structure of a read text than readers of traditional printed books. 50 students with roughly the same education level and reading habits were given the same murder mystery text. One half read it on paper, the other half on a screen. While the emotional involvement in the story was similar in both groups, the paper group did better in recalling the exact sequence of events. The researchers suggested that the haptic experience of holding the book and turning the pages might support the readers’ memory. This study coincides with the latest media stories reporting a sharp decline in e-book sales over Christmas, while traditional books sales increased up to 11 per cent. Waterstones CEO, James Daunt, stated that Kindle sales had almost vanished in comparison to traditional books sales during the Christmas period.
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A recent study carried out by researchers of Norway’s Stevanger university indicates that e-book readers did significantly worse in recalling the structure of a read text than readers of traditional printed books” treated with some scepticism, critics say. Of all the 50 students in the e-book and memory study, only two were regular e-book readers before
they participated in the study, so the majority of test subjects were new to reading on screens. For children now growing up with e-books, it might be a
“
Electronic resources have already changed the way we read and study dramatically, and it will be impossible to reverse this development”
Also, the drop in Kindle sales does by no means signify that people are not interested in e-books anymore. Part of the decline can be explained by the rise of the tablet. With the introduction of the iPad, a new device on which to read e-books appeared on the market. Today, many e-book readers, just as Francesca, do not save their digital books on a kindle reader, but simply on their tablet. So, the recent decline in e-book sales and reported problems about concentration when reading on-screen do not signify the end of the e-book. Electronic resources have already changed the way we read and study dramatically, and it will be impossible to reverse this development, especially after the introduction of the iPad and similar tablets. In fact, studies suggest that e-books take on a very particular role in students’ reading habits: they information or as a solution for carrying many heavy books from home, to class and to the library. However, when it comes to reading a book cover-to-cover, they still prefer the traditional printed book.
The idea came with the dreaded Freshers’ acne. A year of JMCC food and gallons of cheap white wine left me looking and feeling less than my best. When I went back home at Easter, I started eating really healthily and looking up recipes on other blogs. I’d always had an urge to photograph amazing dishes but didn’t like the idea of clogging up my friends’ Instagram feeds. There’s a lot of stigma attached to healthy eating. So after exams I just created a secret account. People found out the ‘Goodness Guru’ feed was me just as I was starting second year…I actually quite proud of it and loads of my friends love trying out the recipes.
How do you balance your passion for healthy food with less wholesome vices of the student lifestyle? You answered that in your own question. Balance is my mantra. I love red Dominoes crusts and occasionally I’ll even have a cigarette. The latter is probably unacceptable by anyone claiming to be a guru. But, 90 per cent of the time I’m pretty good. I love going to yoga several times a week and making use of Edinburgh’s outdoor gym (Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat). I’m also a big advocate of a hearty healthy breakfast to fuel me up for big days. So if I’ve had a big night it’s balanced by porridge and a green smoothie the next morning. Some people criticise the health food industry for being inaccessible and elitist. Do you make an effort to make your recipes ‘student friendly’? A lot of it is a little too much ‘sunshine, rainbows and smiles’ for my liking. I do try and make certain things student friendly because at the is what I’ve cooked at uni with ingrediI do have a good store cupboard full of weird and wonderful superfoods that I often add so I guess in that respect it’s a bit out of reach for most students. in that direction in order to prove to people that you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to nourish your body well.
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“5 Minutes in the Pan” with Marie Pan: Chinese Dumplings Marie is back with a delicious recipe to celebrate the Chinese New Year - because who doesn’t love a good dumpling? By Marie Pan Lifestyle Editor
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Image: IQRemIX @ FlIckR
Classic Chinese Dumplings
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...not the most aesthetically pleasing, but will definitely make your mum proud!” Tesco Everyday Value Plain Flour
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REVIEW:
COFFEE HORIZONS
Gotta Taste ‘Em All
From Frisbees to Pour-Overs
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Image: www.typemuseum.com
Brazilian Crêpes
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Mobile game sales set to kill consoles
W
ith the continuous growth of mobile technology and its consumption, it is no longer impossible to say that these portable devices will soon take over the gaming industry. Based on the infographic released by Newzoo which was presented in The Guardian, mobile games’ sales are billion in 2017. In fact, Apple’s revenue alone doubled that of Nintendo in 2014, with $4 billion in sales from its iTunes App Store over the $2.4 billion of the console brand which is years. Although one of the biggest developers, Sony, reached its highest sales of $18.7 million last year, it is still not close to the overall revenue produced by mobile games in 2014 of $25 billion. In February 2014, it was report-
of this year (March 2015), with a forecasted 2014 year-end loss of around $1.1 billion. This is due to the continuous revenue loss of the company.
Big titles moving to smaller devices As smartphone and tablet ownership increases yearly, with 80 per cent of adults now owning a smart handset, it’s not surprising to know that many game developers are now creating a mobile version of their titles. In fact, the overall face of gaming has changed massively. Today, more female and adult gamers are now enjoying the same games as their counterparts. We previously featured a study showing that 52 per cent of video game players were female. In addition, 27 per cent of gamers worldwide are coming from the age bracket of 44 and above, which is more than the 22 per cent of children (aged eight to 17) who are also into video games. Moreover, the industry has changed massively as more developers are producing mobile-focused HD games,
rience. The latest are Tony Hawk’s titles, which we have enjoyed on console platforms for the longest time, and which will arrive soon on mobile. The athlete-entrepreneur announced on Twitter that he will be collaborating with Activision, the same developer who has created his titles since 2002,
in developing his new batches of games.
console devices come with internet capability and Cloud-based systems, titles for this platform have incorporated these features on their latest products. Some of these games, such as Modern Combat 4, can be played via data connection through the reliable 4G LTE, while others can even be enjoyed without any internet, such as games by EA Games and Gameloft listed by the O2 mobile games, including but not limited to: Despicable Me, EA Sports’ FIFA 13, and The Sims 3.
Multiplayer system Apart from having their own mobile version, many developers are now looking at including multiplayer systems, wherein a user can access and continue playing their console games via their mobile devices. As today’s
What’s next? Although mobile games’ sales may overtake those of the console, there’s no assurance that its industry will end soon. This is particularly true since smartphones and tablets haven’t
Image: gamescom, WIkIpedIa
By Jenni Birch @SciStudent
However, with the proliferation of portable virtual reality systems with augmented reality technology in the form of smart headpieces (such as the Oculus Rift and the Google Glass), developers of the ‘old core’ gaming devicwith these revolutionary game pieces.
Honey, it just ain’t the same any more bees. Honeybees have fewer genes coding for immune response proteins than their closest relatives, which reduce their ability to respond to infections in general. This evolutionary Achilles’ heel in conjunction with other factors is proving to be disastrous for honeybee colonies.
Why bees are buzzing off
H
oneybee Colony Collapse Disorder (HCCD) has been at the forefront of the public’s environmental consciousness for several years now. We are all aware that bees are dying out worldwide and that this constitutes a serious threat to ecosystems and our crop production, however the reasons for this epidemic remain murky and are often shrouded by bad science and politics. The media is prone to pinpointing a certain factor, usually pesticides, and pushing this as the cause based on their own set agenda. The reality is factors and it is becoming clearer that if we are going to address this problem in a meaningful way, it will be by understanding HCCD as a multifactorial problem, with a multifactorial solution. HCCD is itself a misunderstood concept. It is the epidemic in which
more worker bees than a set base level mysteriously disappear from their hives each year, despite the remaining presence of a queen and an immature brood. They also very often leave behind ample stores of honey that could sustain them. The most cited reasons for this epidemic at present include various diseases, malnutrition, environmental Monocultures and a lack of wildlife corridors that characterise increasing amounts of agricultural land appear sources for bees to survive. Honey yields in America are at their largest in states with the most varied and openly accessible vegetation. It seems that a variety of sugars and a protein-rich diet are integral in equipping worker bees with a functional immune system but providing a diverse food source is not the only answer. There is evidence to suggest that when a bee is healthy, poly-sources of food have very little noAnother buzzword that is often
Image: WIkIpedIa, WIkIpeder
By Josiane Segar Science & Technology Editor
thrown about when talking about HCCD is ‘neonicotinoids’. These are insecticides that are commonly used in agriculture and have been shown
pogenic factors that seem to playing a part in HCCD. The most cited virus in -
nism involved in this is still unclear. The most likely theory at the moment is the ‘disability theory’, whereby these pair its ability to smell. It has been documented that disabled bees are prone to get lost returning home, often leaving the larvae hungry when their job is to protect them. However it is not just the anthro-
countries worldwide. Although it is not believed to account for more than 15 per cent of total losses, the successful return to a hive of infected bees is sigAlthough it seems very likely that the potency of these viruses is in part due to degraded immune systems and environmental factors, an interesting new inherently weaker immune system of
how do we possibly begin to tackle the enormous, yet essential challenge of restoring colonies to their former numbers? Clearly many of the cited causes the problem, almost working as a positive feedback mechanism. It looks as though a radical overhaul of agricultural policy is required. Crop land needs to be interspersed with forest plantings and provide natural landscapes with shelter and places to forage. We would also do well to reduce crop monocultures that dominate our farmland, not just to provide better sources of nutrition for honeybees, but to tackle several other problems that this method seems to cause. Above all, more funding is needed
most important and how they interact.
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Science & Technology
Chernobyl’s effects are sadly not confined to history Feature Nearly three decades after the world’s most deadly nuclear disaster shook the entire continent of Europe, the climax of the story of its monumental environmental damage may unfortunately be unwritten Unbelievably, in the years after the incident, the remaining three reactors were rebooted and reconnected to the grid. The power plant produced electricity until 2000 - 14 years after the explosion of Reactor 4. The blame was allocated to faulty Soviet designs, and
By Christopher Lightfoot @propronouns
Image: Paul SchIlov
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here are many photos of Pripyat. The colours faded from Communist red to copper rust long ago, but the tower blocks’ rooftops are still crowned by proud Soviet signs. Plants have creeped out of the concrete, and a ferris wheel can just be made out above the overgrown treetops. In the background of these photos, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is a constant presence. Pripyat was always planned to be a nuclear town, and now it seems to be frozen in the nuclear era. While the wilderness intruded upon the city, man’s activity radically altered the nearby woodlands. Unlike Pripyat, the woodland is a changing space. On the one hand, the evacuation of people has created a place for wildlife to greatly prosper undisturbed. On the other, the fallout of the world’s worst nuclear accident has mutated nature’s fragile genetic coding. Research by the University of
have become asymmetrical in both that bird species are also exhibiting many physical mutations, including large tumorous growths. area is the construction of the New Safe reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. However, new research reveals a concerning and pressing issue, which could be dangerous for continental Eudecaying slower than they should be. This seemingly minor point reveals the complexities and risks of an area con-
When ferns collide
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wo remotely related ferns have been found to hybridise in the French
is infertile, but is growing rapidly and duplicating itself. When two populations stop breeding together - for behavioural, geographical, or anatomical reasons - they ent species. This process takes time, and the longer ago the populations split, the ‘further’ related they are. lion years to become incompatible, roughly the distance between humans and chimpanzees. Some species are still capable of interbreeding, but so rarely come into contact with one another in the wild that they never do, such as lions and tigers. When these are known as hybrids. Hybrids are often sterile, but sometimes manage to persist through asexual reproduction. The two parents (Cystopteris and Gymnocarpium) of this hybrid (x Cystocarpium - the x denotes a hybrid) are, unlike most interbreeding species,
particularly due to rising temperatures in the area because of climate change. Yet, there is Caesium-137 residing be cause for international concern. Many question Ukraine’s current capability to respond to an emergency of this kind. There is a binding of political and environmental, and the scientists’ tisation and continuous involvement of the state for this area. It doesn’t seem inherently obvious that woodland must be carefully con-
Yet, there is a distinct relevance to clear Power Plant is also located near a woodland. This is only one aspect of a complex exposure to the radiation, they changed web of relationships between nature colour, and the forest is now known as and nuclear power. It is certain that the ‘Red Forest’. Chernobyl has more to teach us.
The taste of Raspberry is oh-so-sweet
not even from the same genus. They are so dissimilar that they used to be placed in separate families, which is cats and dogs. Cystopteris and Gymnocarpium’s ancestors split around 60 million years ago, the same time that the ancestors of whales and horses branched apart. This makes it the ‘deepest’ hybrid ever recorded, with a combined 120 million years of independent evolution. It is thought that this ability for distant relatives to hybridise could explain why ferns, one of the oldest groups of plants, have relatively few species, as the barriers take a longer time to form than for most lineages.
Image: Paul SchIlov
By Joe Boyle Senior Science and Technology Writer
taminated with radiation, and the continuing relevance of Chernobyl. It was at 1AM on April 26 1986, when Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s Reactor 4 exploded. The Soviet Union tried to conceal the event, but the released quantity of radioactivity was unprecedentedly large. 700 miles away, workers in a Swedish nuclear power plant realised that their shoes had somehow been contaminated, and there had been no news of a nuclear disaster in the Western world. Emergency precautions were enforced all over the continent, including even the Scottish Highlands, so that health, food and water were all protected.
tory, and though its designs are Soviet, it is still a useful resource. It exhibits how the complicated systems of the natural world progressively react within a region of nuclear fallout. In 2015, we are still unpacking and discovering the repercussions of the event. Of the radioactive elements emitted by Reactor 4, Caesium-137 is perhaps the most concerning to us today due to its half-life of ~30 years. The woodlands surrounding Chernobyl absorbed around nine per cent of the Caesium-137 emitted by the disaster. Much of it is contained within the soil, and some of it was absorbed by the plants. This has left its mark on the
leaves. Scientists have found that the heightened background radiation is tangibly slowing down the process of decomposition within leaves, leading to
Opinion: Nick Hawkes investigates the recent development of one of the most exciting prospects in computing: the newly launched Rasberry Pi 2 By NIck Hawkes Writer of the Month
I
n the world of computing, you will often not get a lot for £35. Maybe a hard drive, some cables and a stick of RAM - but not a whole computer. And even if you could get your hands on one for that much money, surely it wouldn’t be a quad core PC the size of a credit card? But of course, this hypothetical computer exists in the form of the Raspberry Pi 2, which was launched at the beginning of February by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It aims to replicate the success of its predecessor which took the computer world by storm in 2012, selling over 3 million units since launch and building a strong community around the tiny Linux PC. The Pi is the brainchild of Camwho aimed to bring basic computing skills to the home and classroom. Indeed, co-founder Eben Upton voiced
his concern that the lack of programmable hardware for children is “undermining the supply of eighteenyear-olds who know how to program, so that’s a problem for universities … and that’s causing problems for industry.” With the electronics industry contributing about £17 billion annually to the UK economy, as well as the games industry being worth £99 million in Scotland alone, a lack of investment in programming skills could leave us dangerously uncompetitive in an ever changing and expanding market. So, what are the ingredients that make this Pi so appealing? Well, its low starting price for one. The Model A costs only £20, with the ‘top spec’ Pi 2 coming in at £30. Furthermore, it contains a Quad core Broadcom ARM based chip, a minuscule form factor, and a range of connectivity options that make it all the more appealing. In addition to that, the Pi is pretty versatile. Indeed, whether it’s turning into a robotic barman, creating ‘Matrix style’ bullet time photography,
or even just being used as a desktop PC, the Pi has a lot of practical applications. This multitude of uses is exactly what the Raspberry Pi Foundation hope will spur creativity, not just domestically, but in the developing world. The Pi also runs a custom version of Linux called Raspbian, which has been optimised to run on less powerful hardware. It’s free and comes and software designed to teach children and adults alike how to program. There are even plans to make a version of Windows 10 available for the Pi 2 in the near future. While it’s unlikely that the Pi will replace the Mac as the default computer in lecture theatres, there is a growing desire for creative and inexpensive products which encourage us to ‘tinker’. When I was at school, ICT was more about powerpoints than it was about coding, and that is something that cannot be allowed to continue if we want to stay competitive in a digital world.
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Dual Crossword No. 78
by Picus CRYPTIC CLUES
AQUARIUS
LIBRA
in any Innovative Learning week activities is simply not worth the risk, you lock yourself in the Hugh Robson toilets
You create a fake Twitter account in order to tweet your crush sultry hashtags. Unfortunately, your good intentions are misconstrued, and you are accused of cyberbullying. Damn you, Pluto. Always ruining Venus’ perfectly good plans.
stead.
CANCER
Now is not a good time to borrow HUB Reserve books or print in colour. Decid-
PISCES you’ve been in the mood for romance boo, you swap Tinder for OkCupid and accidentally end up going on a date with your landlord. He won’t let you split the bill and insists on paying for dinner. Nevertheless, he does mention that he would prefer it if your rent was on time next month. The afternoon leaves you deeply confused and considering a second date.
ARIES
You attend the EUSA election bootcamp dressed as a pirate in order to confuse the other candidates. During the event, you make a point of asking controversial questions and dropping hints at your very sound, albeit imaginary, campaign strategy. Oh, Jupiter! So very cheeky.
VIRGO
TAURUS Aspirational Uranus meets giggly Mercury, and together, they inspire you to attend a Buchanan Institute event. Taking it a step too far, you begin to rethink life and decide to drop out of university to start your own personal training business.
GEMINI Desperately trying to vote for the next University of Edinburgh rector online, you realise that voting was indeed last week. You get very sad for a little while, feeling like you failed at democracy.
DOWN
Uranus gets you in the creative mood, of conclusive evidence (6, 2, 5) covertly document the lives and loves of
CONCISE CLUES (same answers) comes an instant YouTube hit.
SCORPIO
On a cold February afternoon, you turn explicit wishes. When they confront you, you blame it on a poltergeist and daring
ACROSS 1 One who looks at tits has curious chat with bride, right? (11) 7 Birmingham shows British spirit (4) 8 Remove Dido’s leg, it’s broken (8) 9 Swinger marking time in wee Scots arcade with posh chimney (8) 11 I’m a savage barbarian king and a very attractive fellow (4) 12 Get a piano from a girl (or two) (6) 13 All this is very clumsy, causing hitches (6) 15 Clever lies trap priest in evil (4) 17 Many a pig is hiding in the wood (8) 18 Arranged old rum shakers to mask low spirits (8) 20 Yours truly backed Gosh for TV trophy (4)
ACROSS 1 He may be a “twitcher” (11)
SAGITTARIUS
8 Remove, knock out of place (8) 9 Swinging part of clock (8) 11 Attractive male: big lump (4) 12 Piano (rhyming slang) (6) 13 Hitches a lift (6) 15 Rotate (usually fast) (4) 17 Hard wood (for furniture) (8) 18 Area of low winds at Equator (8) 20 Television trophy (US) (4)
The Jupiter retrograde is never a good sign for your health – you sneeze eight
A BIT ABOUT CRYPTIC CLUES
blog without your permission. The sensitive material shows you talking to the cheese. Deeply embarrassed, you report the video, and it gets taken down eventually.
Take a gamble on library, and everybody stares at you, silently judging. Ashamed, you move to the library gallery.
CAPRICORN your exam results back, and they are average. Embarrassed that you spent your holidays complaining to your friends and family, you pretend you failed.
BETRAY
Continuing from last week, we can see that (here) is not somewhere to buy things although the compiler has tried to make us think it is, by linking it with . A good example of the real importance of ignoring the Surface Reading utterly and entirely. Also, although BETRAY is a synonym ( ), it’s not that comes to mind. Which reminds us that to qualify as a synonym there need only be ONE instance of both words having the same meaning.
climbing fast (7) DOWN 1 Legal obligation on accuser (6, 2, 5) 2 Month of fasting (Islam) (7) 3 To marry (3) 4 International contest (sport) (4, 5) 5 Booze (usually illegal) (5) 10 14 16 19
(It’s used as) compost (4-5) Lotion, ointment (7) A little prod, a reminder (5) Health resort (with springs) (3)
An important point to remember about on when it’s used as an indicator, is that although it says “add bit X to bit Y”,
on SKIM
and to
, we wouldn’t expect the answer to be CUT. But in the sentence “The ” the two words are interchangeable. And that’s good enough.
RU
PENCHANT PEN (writer) + CHANT (to sing) In this clue,
In the middle of the clue is the little word on. This is an Indicator telling us to add one bit of the subsidiary part of the clue (Take a gamble) to the other bit ( ).
.
RUT T (end of tournamenT) goes (sport, Rugby Union).
Canty and Couthie Choose the correct meaning Bauchle a) To blunder b) A young lad c) To refuse angrily Shieling a) A small village b) A shepherd’s hut c) A region or district
M (west end of Matterhorn) goes SKI (narrow runner) The same applies to
4 Try a game that’s international (4, 5) 5 House needs old central heating to make illicit whisky (5) 6 Manager with no band may become a junk dealer (3-3-4, 3) 10 Flea jumping over fungus arrives at compost (4-5) 14 Crazy gun nut swigs energy lotion (7) 16 New judge is beheaded as a gentle reminder (5) 19 Hispanic health resort is secluded (3)
is a Connector linking the ) to the rest of the clue. It means (as in “the subsidiary part follows this”). More on Connectors and Indicators next week.
Skeigh a) An iron frying pan b) A pigsty c) Shy, coy, aloof Laldie a) Superior, supercilious b) A beating, a thrashing c) Wimpish, weedy
All answers on our website now www.studentnewspaper.org Comments requested. editors@studentnewspaper.org #EdUniCrossword
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By Thurston Smalley Editor in Chief
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important issues; some said that the Bloods and Crips club night didn’t constitute an issue to begin with; and friends of the club promoter stalked, harassed, and threatened our editors via their social media accounts in a sustained campaign of intimidation. section. It grants writers with compettheir views, and the reader is left to decide where he or she stands. It is, at its heart, a battle of wits, and our writers,
Image: mathIjs
he Student is a very special society. It provides students at The University of Edinburgh a quality platform to express their ideas. Our doors are open to everyone: all of our editors and writers are volunteers. For each of us, the newspaper is a hobby. But last week, work at The Student didn’t feel like much of a hobby. Last Tuesday, News went to print with an article on an Edinburgh nightclub promoter’s ill-conceived, gang violence-themed club night. Comment followed up on the news piece with an op-ed branding the night insensitive and emblematic of white privilege. We received a great deal of feedback on these articles. Many told us that
with their names in the byline, are held accountable for their writing. Often leading to reconciliation of opposing views, debate in Comment is an inherently constructive medium. Far from constructive are the mean-spirited, menacing, and disturbing messages sent predominantly to our female writers, at times from anonymous social media accounts. These messages are the last resort of
cowardly, angry, weak individuals who lack the social capital and moral fortitude to articulate their views in the for-
incur a cost. For illustration, we linked a series of abusive tweets to a recent Edinburgh law graduate, currently
The intent of these messages is plain: to impose a social cost on our contributors for daring to voice their opinions. Our message is equally clear: we will not give in to intimidation, and we will reserve the right to respond. These responses, themselves, may
very highly that her employer, which tegrity, would look favourably on the exceedingly poor judgement shown by the employee in question. At The Student a right to free speech. A right to free
Editors: Ilinca Barsan and Thurston Smalley Production Editor: Lynsay Campbell Web Editor: Alex Harston Head of Illustration: Tess Glen News: Stuart McFarlane, Ethan DeWitt & Gavin Dewar Comment: Emma Lawson, Simon Fern, Chris Belous & Patrick Garratt Features: Sibylla Archdale Kalid & Tasha Kleeman Lifestyle: Nolwenn Davies & Marie Pan Science & Technology: Patrick Arant, Callam Davidson & Josie Segar Culture: Kat Moir, Chloe Henderson & Figgy Guvyer Film: Eloise Hendy & Lydia Siani Music: Laura Cain & Lydia Rylance Murdoch TV & Radio: Frances Roe Sport: Gurjot Thind & Conor Matchett Crossword: Dr John Wakely Head Copy Editor: Sophie Beardsworth Photo Editor: Georgia Forsyth Sijpestijn President: Callum Mason | Secretary: Sarah Manavis | Treasurer: Greg Lane | Social Secretaries: Callum Mckenna & Olivia Morgan | Head of Advertising: Cailean Osborne | Heads of Marketing: Charlotte Hamilton-Wright & Cassandra Lord Head of Distribution: Sam Ireland
speech, however, does not imply a right to freedom from the consequences of that speech. This is a lesson that this newspaper has learned from experience time and time again. As is so often the case in these types of circumstances, we end with a plea to the student body: if you disagree with an article published in the paper, come write for us. The paper will be better for it. All are welcome.
History: 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 30,000 University of Edinburgh students every week. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Kitchener, David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill are a few 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 responsible for film and concert reviews. Disclaimer: The Student welcomes letters for publication. The editors do, however, reserve the right to edit or modify letters for clarity. Anonymous letters will not be printed but names will be witheld on request. The letters printed are the opinions of individuals outwith The Student and do not represent the views of the editors or the paper as a whole. Comment articles reflect the opinion of individual writers and do not represent the opinions of The Student as an organisation nor as a university society. Contact us: editors@studentnewspaper.org @TheStudentPaper Student Newspaper, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ. Tel: 0131 650 9189. The Student lists links to third party websites but does not endorse them or guarantee their authenticity or accuracy. © The Student Newspaper Society. All rights reserved. No section in whole or part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electonic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the publisher. The Student is published by the Student Newspaper Society, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ. Distributed by RJM Courisers, 3 John Muir Place, Dunbar, EH42 1GD. Tel: 01368 860 115. Printed by Print and Digital Associates, 01332 896525. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office.
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Ignores the day
Bouquet of KitKats
Clintons card no kisses
Leather knickers one size too big
Chocolate Butt Holes
Footlights shine again: RENT is a big success RENT
Church Hill Theatre Run Ended By Zoe Miller @culture_student
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acked by derelict stained-glass windows and occupied by black
Theatre’s stage is transformed into a bohemian New York City locale for Edinburgh University Footlights’ production of Jonathan Larson’s Rent. A small circle of musicians comprising the show’s orchestra sits centre stage, as if the instrumentalists’ keyboards and guitars are an organic element of the work’s arty, alternative milieu. The groundbreaking rock musical, based on Puccini’s opera La Bohème and inspired in part by Larson’s own experiences, centres on a group of friends grappling with the creative
process and America’s HIV/AIDS epidemic at the end of the last millennium and striving to live in the present. There’s aspiring documentarian Mark (Joe Christie); HIV-positive former frontman Roger (Nitai Levi); club-dancer Mimi (Rachel Anderson), Roger’s love interest who is likewise HIV-positive; Collins (Benjamin Aluwijare), a philosophical computer hacker and anarchist professor with AIDS; drag queen Angel (Scott Meenan), Collins’ partner, also living with AIDS; performance artist Maureen (Roz Ford), Mark’s ex; Maureen’s girlfriend, Ivy-educated lawyer Joanne (Caroline Elms); and landlord Benny (Jon Ip), former roommate of Mark, Roger, and Collins.
“
EU Footlights’ Rent is anything but sparse; this production has its heart on its sleeve at every turn” On the whole, the production, directed by Elske Waite and choreographed by Eleanor Grose, succeeds
everything from handcrafted beers to Beat poets – is decidedly lucid. Nonetheless, the cast members keep up with the exhilarating pulses and
Image: LouIse spence photography
Theatre
in conveying the immediacy of the characters’ narratives. Meenan’s performance as Angel is perhaps most salient. Donning a black bobbed wig, tights, and heels, the playful poise he brings to the drag queen’s upbeat numbers, such as “Today 4 U” strikes a powerful contrast with the character’s solemn moments. Note, for instance, the lyrical anguish of the swan song “Contact”. Flanked by duos of embracing dancers, Meenan, sans wig
Literature
Art
By Rose Gleadell @culture_student
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his month, one of Scotland’s leading commercial galleries, the Fine Art Society in Dundas Street, reintroduces two artists who
The works of Edwin Lucas had been in storage for over sixty years until they were discovered by a curator at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art last year, a decade after his lines in the national press and this is ure, as Patrick Elliott has said: “He’s got nothing in common with anyone painting in Scotland at the time”. Largely self-taught as an artist and working in the 1930s and 40s, his subjects range from portraits and out-
Image: www.bournefIneart.com
Edwin G. Lucas and EmilyYoung
The Fine Art Society Edinburgh Until 28th February
and dressed in a hospital gown, dances about with feverish, pedestrian movements. Setbacks are minor, stemming mainly from muddled diction during large group numbers – such as the parking lot protest scene near the end of Act One – and, on rare occasions, dropped American accents. In contrast, the vocalisation of one of Rent’s most iconic ensemble songs, “La Vie Bohème” – a glorifying ode to
door landscapes to abstract fusions of shapes and forms. What comes through the paintings is his passion for the surrealist style and a kind of escapism, his vibrant colours and intricate brushwork take the viewer into another dimension. Little wonder that he now hangs in the SNGMA with surrealist masterpieces by the likes of Picasso and Miro.
“
Her sculptures are just as alive [...] but quieter and more reflective”
In the upstairs gallery are the stone carvings of British sculptor, Emily Art Society in London in 1997 where she achieved almost instant success. Her primary objective is to bring the natural beauty and energy of her stone to the fore. Out of the stone emerge ancient, symbolic heads, as if discovered within the stone – almost an archeological exercise, rediscovered totems
from ancient Egypt perhaps. Each sculpture, dotted around the room on separate plinths, has a unique character due to each stone’s geological history and geographical source. There is something incredibly human and truthful about them. She is trying to get the medium of her artwork to speak out. Young is preoccupied with the troubled relationship modern society has with its planet and she uses these powerful stone heads this. Her sculptures are just as alive as Lucas’ paintings downstairs, but quiThere is a clear purpose behind her our relationship with the past, and with nature. The open space, and natural light pouring through the big windows of the upstairs gallery space, helps to create this meditative space. Taken together, these exhibitions provide a moving experience: Lucas’ paintings literally excavated from the past, Young’s sculpture apparently so.
Our literary followup to the biggest Hallmark Holiday By Chloe Henderson @ChloeAHenderson
L
ove it or hate it, it’s that time of the year again. Yes, Valentine ’s Day may be a few days past but it will be another week before the gift roses wilt and the heart-shaped chocolates cease to grace Tesco’s shelves. For the loved-up amongst us this is a blessing but for many it’s a curse, so we’ve decided to compile a short list of books to either prolong your paramour or reinforce your conviction that love is a waste of time. Like Water for Chocolate. Set near the Mexico-US border, it tells the story of a young girl who longs to marry her lover, but is restricted by an old family tradition dictating that she must dedicate her life to caring for her mother. A classic tale of forbidden love, it will leave you weeping into your newly gifted heart-shaped pillow. Alternatively, Emma by Jane Aus-
score, especially when their voices are showcased during duets and solos. Levi’s rendition of “One Song Glory” – Roger’s raw plea for musical inspiration – is chill-inducing, underscoring the desperate yearning layered beneath the character’s rough-aroundthe-edges rocker persona. Other highlights include “I’ll Cover You”, a tender love song between Collins and Angel, “Take Me or Leave Me”, Maureen and Joanne’s feisty break-up number, and the anthemic “What You Own”, sung by Mark and Roger about their struggles with art and survival. While Christie comes across as somewhat restrained earlier in the show – acting maker – in “What You Own” he, like his character, comes into himself. The set may be minimalistic, but EU Footlights’ Rent is anything but sparse; this production has its heart on its sleeve at every turn.
ten is a faithful and fun classic. Literally the Clueless of the nineteenth century, spoiled and headstrong Emma Woodhouse plays matchmaker to her friends whilst neglecting her own chances at romance. It all ends on a happy note of course, with Emma’s schemes somehow proving fruitful and resulting in her own engagement. If you wish to instead stoke the bitentine’s day then try quite possibly the most pessimistic take on love and marriage ever written: Gone Girl. Documenting the lives of Nick and Amy Dunne (aka two of the most horrible people on earth) following Amy’s mysterious disappearance, Gone Girl will ensure you are never tempted into a relationship again. In a similar vein is Les Liaisons Dangereuses, plagued by two equally questionable characters. Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont are two rivals (and ex-lovers) who use sex and seduction as weapons to hurt one another and degrade others around them. It ends very badly for everybody, with pretty much every character dead or committed to a nunnery. Perfect. Whether you’re feeling loved-up or lonely, or have no real commitment either way, each novel is a perfect follow up to the most ‘love-it-or-hate-it’ day of the year.
20 17th February 2015 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Culture
Food for thought: The Lonely Artists Society yond institutional walls. Still in search of our ‘local’, a neighbourhood nucleus full of familiar faces and like-minds, equally craving conversation about art, culture and Edinburgh’s creative potential, we formed The Lonely Artists Society (LAS). The LAS Banquet #1 took inspiration from 17th-century salon-style gatherings and the recent ‘radical hospitality’ of artists such as Theaster Gates’ Dorchester Project. Subtly altering C02 with a lick of paint, we installed our own works-in-progress.
Art
The making of an artist’s community: Phoebe Mitchell shares stories of the painter’s struggle to collaborate and banquets in the Art College. By Phoebe Mitchell @phoebetron
chance to see our work beyond the chaos of our studios and provided a focus for the dinner. We put up posters and took to social media to spread the word, inviting people to RSVP for a chance to share dinner with us in exchange for conversation. Inundat-
IMAGE: PHOEBE MITCHELL
O
n a winter’s morning this time last year in my bitterly cold Brixton studio, I pulled on my painter’s overalls, artfully tousled my hair and powdered my nose in preparation for my screen debut: my Skype interview with the then Director of Postgraduate Studies at ECA, Neil Mulholland. The blurb for the Contemporary Art Practice MA places a strong emphasis on students’ ability to work well together in a critically discursive environment, so I’m pretty sure it was my unbridled enthusiasm for teamwork, and perhaps the paintbrush in my ponytail, that secured me a place on the course. Living up to the stereotype of the solitary painter bound to my artist’s garret on the gritty streets of South London, moving back to a heavily populated, open-plan art school studio at ECA took a little adjustment… and the purchase of a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Four months in, just as I’d perfected my ‘don’t even f*cking think of talking to me while I’m painting’ look, we were assigned the painter’s ultimate nightmare, the Collaborative Project. In groups of three, Contemporary Art Practice students joined forces in the second semester to curate an
exhibition in the ECA’s C02 Project Space. We were allocated the space for one week during which we work together to realise a show, before opening to our peers followed by a group crit. Many see this as an opportunity to make something together, a new piece of work they’d never dream of producing as part of their own practice. Not us. We, two painters (of the solitary single-minded variety) and a
cake and ensuing cyclical discussions about how to use the space.
Progress in the form of skeletal ideas about possible installations caused me to wake in a cold sweat, fearful that such approaches to art making were simply trite and far too contrived. With only a fortnight until we’d be handed the keys, the pressure was on. asked ourselves what had been missing thus far from our time in Edinburgh at ECA, and whether this could activate our approach to C02. Transplanted to the city from London and Montevideo, we missed being part of an artistic community extending be-
served basis. Ferrying a home-cooked vegetarian Moroccan feast into ECA without a minute to spare, we were greeted by a mixture of new and familiar faces. Armed with a glass of prosecco, our guests introduced themselves, utilising our location and the art on display to break the ice. The evening attempted to bridge the gap between the social aspects of a private view, the intimate studio visit and the exchange of ideas encountered within a seminar. I believe it did all three, though perourselves still in college at 3am on a school night! Table cleared and minds exhausted, we departed into the night, grub, but by a sense that the seeds had been sown for further gatherings. Perhaps with a little hard work and commitment, Edinburgh’s creative infrastructure can be strengthened, and the graduate brain-drain to the more established art scenes of Glasgow and London will no longer be inevitable.
FICTIONAL FIX-UPS with Fiona Grew
must admit to being very nervous be-
fore I met Christian at the bar. He, on the other hand, did not seem
this rather contributed to my agitation rather than being a reassurance. He is obviously a very successful man but there was something quite distant about him and I felt very unsure about what impression I was making on him. There was just one moment when I felt he let his guard down which was whilst I was recounting a story about being locked in the Red Room as a child, it was clear the story held significance for him in some personal way and I rather hope that, if we see one an-
other again, he will speak more openly with me about it. Christian: Jane was clearly nervous but I enjoyed taking her for dinner on Saturday evening. She is an interesting young woman and I admire her greatly for her obvious dedication to teaching and, in general, hard work. She was frank and open about her childhood, which I understood to not have been a particularly enjoyable one, and I respected her ability to be so. Nobu is a favourite restaurant of mine and, since it was Jane’s of dishes for us both, which was great.
I am hoping I will see Jane again as her quiet but kind personality appealed to me; I would like to get to know her further and explore more of my preferred London haunts together.
IMAGE:KAMMA RAHBEK
T
his week Fiona Grew, head Fixer-Upper at Fictional Fix-Ups Dating Agency, introduced Christian Grey to Jane Eyre. In honour of Valentine’s Day, Christian took Jane for dinner at Nobu on Park Lane. Here’s what they had to say… Jane: I have never had champagne, of which Christian procured an unnecessarily large bottle, or sushi before, so the evening was full of new experiences for me. It was also, in actual fact, the
ROYGBIV This week’s cultural spectrum: Innovative Culture By Chloe Henderson @chloeahenderson
W
hilst we’re sure some of you will be busy with all the fun and exciting events put on by the university this Innovative Learning Week (wink wink), for many of us it’s nothing but an opportunity for a week-long lie-in. It seems a shame to waste a whole seven days of freedom on what we’re sure you do every weekend anyway, so why not spend your time a bit more wisely and give some of the organised workshops and activities a chance? With hundreds to choose from, we promise you, but why not check out a suggested few we have compiled ourselves? First, if you’re looking to improve your creative writing skills, head on down to the pop-up writer’s workshop on Tuesday 17. Running from 3-4pm the class aims to challenge you to a few experiments in thinking, providing a stimulating and social atmosphere. If that’s not your thing, try Sexpress Yourself! on Wednesday 18, providing a day of workshops exploring topics from gender and sexuality to pornography, and everything in between. Drop in sometime between 11am and 8pm to break social boundaries and open your mind. In a similar vein, Purple, session based on a tragic ‘magic-romantic-comic’ play about a gay couple. Including live music and dancing as Purple seeks to engage the audience in a dialogue covering sexuality, gender, age, and culture. The performance begins at 3pm and runs until 5pm. The Edinburgh College of Art is also hosting a variety of student exhibitions for you to check out. Head on down and support the work of your peers by visiting any of the following: Talk, Walk, Make. Stories of a City, from February 16. Edible Cities: A Food-Based Approach to Knowledge Exchange, from February 17. The Stories and Secrets of Collecting Contemporary Art, from February 18. And 8 Hours to Save the Planet, from February 16. If you’d like to try your own hand at being creative, Open Studio: Creative series of classes that will culminate in an exhibition to feature your works, open to the public. This year’s theme is ‘evolution’, which you are invited to
February 19, with sessions between 10am and 6pm.
17th February 2015 21 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Culture
The Importance of Being Earnest St Augustine’s Church Run Ended By Sasha Clarke @helenelston
V
alentine’s Day saw the 120th anniversary
of Oscar Wilde’s irreverent satire, which still possesses the capacity to entertain and enliven audiences, proving that something aged so far beyond our modern years can be as warmly received today as it was in the glittering past of London’s theatres. A fête of bad manners and biting wit, St Augustine Church’s adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest paid excellent homage to the frivolous nature of Victorian high society, but never quite succeeded in capturing the ritzy glow of the original text. Set within ‘an age of ideals’, Wilde’s play follows the deceptions of Alge- who both claim to their friends and family to be of the name ‘Ernest’, as ridiculous upper lip of Lady Bracknell in their quest to woo and wed two equals of social worth. The Importance of Being Earnest is
one of theatre’s most beloved plays.
“
A facet of the production which displayed innovation and accomplished creativity was its use of mixed media... [it] worked to expand the sparsely furnished and limited space of the church’s interior...”
Credit must be given to the performance of Algernon, the archetypal dandy crook, who was brought to life been enjoyed on a world stage. The very same has to be said for Lady Bracknell, portrayed to the most minute degree of detail, and encompassing both the sheer terror and haughty hilarity of Wilde’s original matriarch. Both performances were active in creating an animated period setting, and realising the brilliance of the play’s scathing dialogue. In contrast to this however, some of the night’s omitting the vivacity needed in order to deliver the dialogue to the utmost of Earnest’s most lively scenes did not quite achieve their potential. A facet of the production which displayed innovation and accomplished creativity was its use of mixed media. A screen hung in the background of
Image: Bracket productIons
Theatre
to expand the sparsely furnished and limited space of the church’s interior, and provide an aesthetic backdrop without the need for a copious set. Cleverly utilised throughout the night, such an idea showed imagination and savvy spatial awareness. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a few technical show, which - although seeming amateurish - is usually an expected out-
taken around Scotland which worked
“
Alongside a highly enthusiastic audience, whose visible and audible enjoyment of the play created a warm atmosphere of reception, the evening seemed to progress in a subtle yet pleasing manner”
new, and may not have thoroughly delighted every theatre-goer, but even so, it supplied plenty of laughs and light amusement. It is unclear, however, how these two artworks sit together.
Art
Self Storage
“
Overall the Embassy Gallery plays host to an eclectic mix of artworks, which are simultaneously playful and confusing, and intentionally not quite satisfying”
Embassy Until 1st March
By Gemma Batchelor @culture_student
T
are taken to move around the exhibition in an anti-clockwise fashion, that draws you in with the warbling sounds
Image: paloma proudfoot
ist-run Embassy Gallery is known for its displays of quirky, fun artwork: the work of four young artists in this show Self Storage hibition is, unfortunately, the overwhelming and headache-inducing smell of fresh paint. Aside from this, the space is quite perfect for the installation, with various objects woven around the intimate gallery space. A series of pebbles of a semi-precious nature sit in clear boxes in seemingly random locations up and down the walls of the gallery. On each is some variety of symbol, whether taken from the Greek alphabet or a computer key. The work, by Ariana Ramic, puter science and language, yet the
Alongside a highly enthusiastic audience, whose visible and audible enjoyment of the play created a warm atmosphere of reception, the evening seemed to progress in a subtle yet pleasing manner. For lovers of Earnest, St Augustine’s production may
they are aesthetically lovely objects, instilling a desire to hold the perfectly power in them.
Also exhibited is an illustration with accompanying text on the importance of social media in a woman’s life. Nearby, suggestive phallic rubber forms with dominating ceramic femi-
The materials used in the latter are engaging due to their contrasting textures and the questions they pose surrounding sexuality and gender.
Will Always Love You”. This is paired with jarring footage of falling down some sort of cavern, and voice-overs speaking of moments in life reaching greater depths. It suggests a life spiralling out of control, which is well suited to the soundtrack. It is wonderfully successful and bizarre, and bizarre in sort of a hysteric fashion. Overall the Embassy Gallery plays host to an eclectic mix of artworks, which are simultaniously playful and confusing, and intentionally not quite satisfying.
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Scar
17th February 2015 23 www.studentnewspaper.org
Pumbaa
Simba
Mufasa
Timon
The Liquid Room s 07/02/2015 By Charles Thomas Lang @charlestlang
T
o say Prides are carrying a bit of weight these days is an understatement. Since performing to the world at the Closing Ceremony of last year’s Commonwealth Games, the Glasgow trio’s music has been everywhere; from Made in Chelsea to FIFA 15. Thus, it comes as no surprise that their current headline tour has been selling out across the country, from Aberdeen to Brighton, including tonight’s performance at the Liquid Room.
“
It’s hard seeing a band you’ve spent the past year and a half raving about disappoint”
That said, despite not being around for long, Prides – Stewart Brock (key-
Father John Misty I Love You, Honeybear By Dolly Church @EdStudentMusic
T
illman removes himself from the convoluted parables and cryptic philosophies he expresses in “Fear Fun” and instead focuses on love, as highlighted by his bold choice of album title. He shrouds his overtly romantic lyrics in melodramatic drumming crescendos and string arrangements. However, subtlety is more prevalent in “The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment”, which incorporates simplistic Velvet Underground “Sunday Morning”-inspired instrumentals, which accompany deeply vindictive, bitter lyrics. Ultimately, Tillman’s use of the third person narrative combined with his choice of track title indicates his dark humor and how he uses the persona of Father John Misty to laugh at himself.
board, vocals), Callum Wiseman (guitar, keyboard) and Lewis Gardiner (drums) – are by no means inexperienced. Like fellow synth-poppers CHVRCHES, they are an amalgamation of various Glasgow bands, and having former Radio 1 DJ Ally McCrae as their manager can only serve to heighten their already strong background. Opening boldly with ‘The Seeds You Sow”, they set the bar pretty high for what was expected to be an hour of pure Glaswegian power pop. Starting with one of their better-known tunes, with only a small back catalogue, was awoke the Edinburgh crowd. However, they then broke into a segment of songs less familiar, including their latest single “Higher Love”. Although a few faithfuls sang along, the majority were hearing these tracks have enjoyed them a lot more if Brock didn’t act like he was Robbie Williams performing “Let Me Entertain You” at Wembley. There may be a day that such songs feature on Prides’ ‘Greatest Hits’ album and are performed to sold-out hearing it all seemed a bit too much.
Tillman’s cynicism is evident in the track “Bored in the USA”, in which he sings: “by this afternoon, I’ll live in debt / By tomorrow, be replaced by children.” In this track, his lyrics are carried by a basic piano sequence, giving them the emphasis that they deserve.
“
[...] deeply vindictive, bitter lyrics”
However, at points throughout his album his ironic, self-awareness collapses into self-indulgence, producing a series of tracks that make for very Love you, Honeybear” features the lyrics: “unless we’re naked, getting high on a mattress / While the global market crashes” - this line speaks for itself. His melodrama is even more potent in his track “When You’re Smiling and Astride Me” which starts and ends with him wailing over a gospel choir. Having said that, I Love You, Honeybear is an album that takes risks, avoiding an artistic rut and delivering on many occasions. In all honesty, it comes down to the question, how much cheese are you prepared to stomach?
still by far their best, single, picked things back up a bit and encouraged a genuine, unforced sing-a-long. Reappearing after a quite painful encore, they ended on a high; performing a mash up of their favourite songs of 2014, released online at the end of the year, which saw them cover Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods”, Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” and Ella Henderson’s “Ghost”, to name but a few. If the rest of the set could be acly gave them a chance to show how good they actually are; and thankfully, that’s exactly what they did. It’s hard seeing a band you’ve spent the past year and a half raving about disappoint. Maybe they just had a bad night on what must be an exhaustingly long tour, maybe the crowd weren’t as strong as they have been at previous shows, or maybe it was just the slightly unnerving cordless microphone that made it all seem a bit false. Make no mistake, though, selling out the Liquid Room is an achievement for any band, especially for one that has yet to release their debut album. And when the album does come, it’s going to be pretty great.
The Cribs Burning For No One By Ruairi Mackenzie @RuairiMackenzie
I
f you’d listened to anything from The Cribs’ last album, In The Belly of The Brazen Bull, expecting an indie banger along the lines of earlier singles “I’m a Realist” or “Men’s Needs”, you would be disappointed and deafened by the dense feedback and grit However, “Burning For No One” opens with a catchy drumbeat, and chiming, clean guitar. This is arguably the poppiest single they have released since Johnny Marr joined them for an This single feels like a distillation of their sizeable discography, with the hooks and melodies of their earliest work married perfectly with the tight songwriting honed with Marr. For a band that has already released a greatest hits compilation, the best still seems yet to come for The Cribs.
image: listenherereviews.com
Prides
image: ravechild.co.uk
Prides of Glasgow fall short in Edinburgh
24 17th February 2015 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Music
Sister trio stun the Queen’s Hall once again By Conor Matchett @conorm11
T
Staves was at the Manchester Arena, a huge 21,000-person venue with a reputation for putting on bands more like Radiohead than three sisters armed with one ukulele and a guitar. That performance in 2012, as support arena with a type of music that I certainly had never heard before. Beautifully harmonised, spine-tinglingly honest, I couldn’t not look them up afgirls were. Fast-forward three years and they were back in Edinburgh for a second visit in as many years to Queen’s Hall. Despite the annoyance of a group of women sat directly behind me who would not stop chatting for the full hour and a half’s set, The Staves asdent in their role as bill-toppers, their most recent collaboration has allowed rounded and expressive musicians. Their new album, If I Was, due to be released in March, has been produced by the aforementioned Vernon. Recorded in his famous Wisconsin
and main single from the new album, “Blood I Bled”, an expansive and much ‘bigger’ song than many will have expected, caused what can only be described as quite a restless audience to immediately pay attention. The restlessness was no doubt partly the fault of the dour and sombre support act, Flo Morrissey, whose music, despite a fantastic voice, could be so easily improved by telling her to stop over-complicating everything. Despite this, the sisters’ three-way the audience with the next two songs from the new album, “Horizons” and “Open”, both of which showed evidence of a growth in their songwritsound. Interspersing their new tracks with old favourites, a problem that they admitted had left them “stuck in the rehearsal room for weeks trying consistently gorgeous and personal favourite “Mexico” was sandwiched in as a quick reprieve from the new material. While that suggests their new tracks are not as good as their previous, it simply is not fair nor is it true. While long-time Staves fans will
image:www.redbrick.me
Queen’s Hall, 07/02/2015
cabin of ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’, the singles released so far from If I Was show a depth from The Staves that many have argued has been missing.
be surprised by the new direction of adding far more layers than were ever on their debut album Dead & Born & Grown, it is a massive step forward for the band. The consecutive performances of “Steady”, “Black and White”, and “Let Me Down” still brought about what The Staves are about despite the lack of a ukulele and constant harmony. Another quick jaunt back to their lent “Pay Us No Mind”, followed by another debut song, the simple but perfectly layered “Make It Holy”. After another quick trip backwards
Peace Happy People By Simon Fern @leafyfronds
P
achieving without ambition, Peace’s latest effort is more continuation than innovation. Although peppered with catchy moments, such as “World Pleasure” and “I’m a Girl”, the album blends into its own forgetful, tranquilized haze. Happy People will not upset diehard fans, radio listeners or the charts.
image:onenoteforever.com
The Staves
“
[It] feels eerily like a compilation album, a showcase rather than an envelope-pushing performance.”
With its longing, anxious lyrics, “Perfect Skin” is the standout moment
to as close a folk song gets to being anthemic with “Eagle Song”, the now mostly quiet and still audience were blown away by their performance of “Damn It All” in which their voices own just as impressively as they did with full instrumentation. Finishing the main set with “Teeth White” and “White Winter Trees”, where they somehow managed to successfully juxtapose pure country with simple and understated folk, The Staves left to rapturous applause. The encore made sure not to disappoint old fans, with a stunning rendition of the beautiful “Facing West”
on the album. Although maybe Harry Koisser (vocals, guitar) gives away too much in crooning about wanting “less of me in me, and more of you in me” and “let me be as gorgeous, as stylish, as rich” – this is an album that seems obsessed with aspiration. You might hear Oasis ringing through in “Someday”, and then elseof the speaker cone as “Flirting USA” comes on or echoes of Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” in “The Music Was To Blame”. Happy People feels instantly familiar, something which has led The Guardian to describe the album as “vanilla indie designed by committee” – whilst a scathing and needlessly cynical assessment, one cannot help but feel it apt. Happy People feels eerily like a compilation album, a showcase rather than an envelope-pushing performance. Dom Boyce (drums) and Sam Kossier (bass) consistently carry whole tracks, with “Under The Moon” the best example of their marriage. Doug Castle’s guitar work does not tend
followed by the haunting harmonies of “Wisely and Slow”. It’s too easy to say that The Staves have become something of a phenomenon, because that is simply not true. The band, totally at ease throughout the performance with the audience, cracking jokes at every opportunity, have been a phenomenon for a while, and their potential is only limited by
overdone. It would not be a surprise if the latest release became one of the albums of the year, and with it should come an exposure that the band has long deserved.
to stand out from the mix, but in the moments when it cuts through the Although there’s no suggesting that any of the musicianship is particularly outstanding or ground-breaking, in an album that lacks direction it feels like Peace, helped by wonderful production, at least knew the sound they were after.
“
Perhaps guilty of achieving without ambition, Peace’s latest effort is more continuation than innovation.”
The album is a success: it continues happily along the trajectory set by In Love and whilst it fails to escape the orbit of radio-friendly, vanilla indie, on it, Peace’s Happy People feels like an amalgamation of indie’s heritage rather than something that is bringing anything new to the conversation.
17th February 2015 25 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Music Full Speed By Bisi Adejumo @EdStudentMusic
F
or weeks now, Kid Ink has been stirring up excitement with the announcement of his third studio album Full Speed. The LA born rapper became well known last year with the singles “Show Me”, featuring Chris Brown and “Iz U Down”, featuring Tyga. Therefore, fans were expecting a return to the rapper’s popular, playful, party sound with Full Speed.
“
Surprisingly disappointing”
“Body Language” is an upbeat song with a melodious beat, which incorporates Kid Ink’s usual style and a nice hook from Usher: “But I can tell from your body language, let’s talk about it”. But these more upbeat tracks are not the greatest aspects of the new album. Instead, the singles that are such as “Every City We Go” and “Be
Real”, show that he is capable of producing more than just catchy clubbing singles. “Be Real” is especially entertaining, with its mix of smooth beat and Kid Ink’s typical cockiness shining through the lyrics, “Feel like can’t nobody stop me, ‘I’m a hot n****”. While the singles featuring other various artists are decent, there is nothing special about his solo tracks as their lyrics are simply quite boring. Furthermore, it is hard not to compare this album with his last one. Although “Body Language” is one of the album’s best tracks, the fact that this single is very similar to “Show Me” from his last album cannot be ignored. Again, Kid Ink has a track featuring Chris Brown, this time named “Hotel”. Despite the is also very similar to “Show Me”. Kid Ink has been releasing albums every year since 2013. But perhaps this time, ing on the album for a little longer instead of releasing almost identical tracks a year later. This album has some great tracks but the familiar tunes and dull lyrics make it an average collection. Therefore, Full Speed - about which Kid Ink posted so profusely on its release date, was surprisingly disappointing.
Kendrick Lamar The Blacker The Berry By Patrick Arant @EdStudentMusic
W
hy did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street? When gang-bangin make me kill a n**** blacker than me? Hypocrite!” Kendrick Lamar’s
wrestling with a contradiction: the African American community he loves is outraged by white oppression, yet their struggles are undermined by every bullet shared between the Bloods and the Crips.
image: kendrick-lamar.ruww
Kid Ink
“
Lamar’s new track finds him in the midst of a snarling flow backed by a vicious beat”
gle, the sugar-coated ‘i’, many fans were puzzled as to when their favourite
Compton-raised rapper had become Pharrell Williams. Suddenly, it makes sense: Lamar has constructed a powerful juxtaposition to convey his thoughts on self-love. ‘i’ had Lamar introspecting in a vacuum, allowing him to conclude that he loved himself and his people
– after all, “the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice”. This new single throws him back into a violent reality, where African American unity is lost behind the barrel of a gun – after all, “the blacker the berry, the bigger I shoot”.
www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/whatson
26 17th February 2015
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Shortbus
9 Songs
Nymphomaniac
50 Shades of Grey
Dear John
In the wake of the release of ‘50 Shades of Gray’, we take a look at some of the raunchiest films to have ever been released in mainstream cinema...
S
ome critics have complained that 50 Shades lacks the eroticism of the
as it contains no full-frontal nudity, nor any actual orgasms from its lead protagonist – Anastasia Steele. Maytaken more inspiration from these emas worldwide: Caligula (1979) Caligula focusing on the rise and fall of the Caligula
“
The film’s release was controversial; it met with legal issues and controversies over its violent and sexual content [...] Caligula is considered to be a cult classic’’ Eyes Wide Shut (1999) A New York City doctor, married to an art curator, pushes himself on a harrowing and dangerous night-long odyssey of sexual and moral discovery after his wife admits that she once almost cheated on him. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 American Arthur Schnitzler’s Dream Story
1926
50 Shades of Grey Sam Taylor-Johnson
By Jade Jenkinson @StudentFilm
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Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
with a woman in her late twenties. Y Tu Mamá También won the Best Screenplay Award at the Venice Film Warner Brothers studios. Reviewer James Berardinelli stated that it was Writing for The New York Times, reviewer Janet Maslin commented:
ridicule yet sustains its fundamental eeriness and gravity throughout.
merit.
The dreamlike intensity of previous
novella
pornographic scenes, and found itself on the end of some very unfriendly reviews, most of which deemed it release was controversial; it met with legal issues and controversies over its violent and sexual content. Although reviews were overwhelmingly negative, Caligula a cult classic and its political content
Image: 20th Century Fox
By Lydia Siani @TheStudentFilm
National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Picture and Best Director and earned a nomination for Best Original Screenplay at the 2003 Academy Awards. Alfonso Cuarón directed this
its frank depiction of drug use and sexual exploration Shortbus (2006) The plot revolves around a sexually ters trying desperately to connect in New York City. The characters converge in a weekly Brooklyn artistic/ ous underground NYC gatherings that took place in the early 2000s. Accord“employ sex in new cinematic ways porn.” 9 Songs (2004) 9 Songs is a 2004 British art
which sparked some controversy for
named Lisa, and a British glaciologist, named Matt, where over the next few concerts, the two lovers have intense controversial on its original release included unsimulated footage of the two leads having sexual intercourse and performing oral sex as well as showcased at the Cannes Film Festival. Derek Malcolm of The Guardian 9 Songs looks like story. The sex is used as a metaphor for the rest of the couple’s relationship. customary sensitivity.”
light used to set the scene, the only hint of things to come is that the sky is curiies and made erotic literature more cus more on Christian and his desires,
the only real emotional response to what is going on in the plot: sunless skies and heavy rainfall - hey, they could have set it in Scotland and saved -
receiving. Their ‘contract’ of dominant ith all the hype and media coverage around Fifty Shades of Grey,
a victim rather than a willing particidungeon is on the same level as go-
house for dinner. Scenes of BDSM
Yet from its opening scenes you may Fifty Shades
and the only romance it supplies is a perverted kind. Far from its marketing strategy as some kind of erotic, Twi-
glimpse into the lives of our two main characters: Lit student Anna (played -
Image: unIversal PICtures
childhood are ludicrously dispersed of groups of girls wanting a laugh and couples hoping for a romantic night.
light hearted scenes of Ana visiting her mum, or the couple going for a was intended to alleviate the darkness, yet instead it makes the movie
leaving one asking - what the hell was as romantic as Poundland chocolates,
17th February 2015 27 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Film doubtedly a wise one as, having landed ern classic This Is England; he went on to cut his teeth playing a series of ever more challenging roles to become established as the bright talent we see today.
From Skins to the red carpet: Jack O’Connell is proving himself one to keep watching
“
Nothing is more attractive in Hollywood than new actors with unique flair and O’Connell certainly has that in bucket loads”
praised his mature portrayals of sol’71 and Unbroken respectively, the latter
microphone chuckling. “So lacking in died away, a wry comment which, as it echoed around the Royal Opera House, could not have been more apt nell, 2014 was a remarkable year; he appeared in no less than three major motion pictures, receiving awards for all of them as an outstanding breakStarred Up proved to be one of the most nuanced and complex performances of recent years. Critics also
Love Is Strange Ira Sachs
By Michelle Mackie @TheStudentFilm
L
ove is Strange tells the story of a same-sex couple cult after getting married.
joy and happiness, George (Alfred Molina) instead loses his job as music teacher at a Catholic school, and he ner of thirty-nine years, Ben (John
American consciousness. Yet it is the boy stand out from the crowd.
“
For O’Connell, 2014 was a remarkable year; he appeared in no less than three major motion pictures, receiving awards for all of them”
Lithgow), are forced to move out of their apartment. Taking refuge with their family and friends, they must live apart in a type of enforced separation. There is no happily ever after, and there is a distinct feeling of deep humiliation for the later in life couple. It is almost like a love story told in reverse, despite the initial marriage.
us that which we all are: committed cial commentary on the legalisation of gay-marriage in the US: it may be permitted, but it is still not condoned by all levels of society. Love is Strange is sweet, sad and humoristic in parts, with the actors giving heartfelt and honest performances. However, the
and relationships put under stress, not only for Ben and George, but of their family and friends as well. The focus lies on the day-to-day, where the realities of life and of living in love is in focus, rather than the coming together. Ben and George are portrayed as individuals in a relationship, existing without co-dependence, reminding
omission of a key scene (arguably its most dramatic moment), makes the audience feel oddly removed from the
hilariously inept dialogue and acting (as well as absolutely everything else) has created an unintentional classic of whatever the opposite of cinematic gold is.
enigmatic Tommy Wiseau, whose deranged sincerity betrays his belief that he really had a true masterpiece on his
“
tion on the midnight circuit and its
The cult movie was directed, produced, written by, and starring the
So it is armed with this attitude loads; furthermore his Unbroken director Angelina Jolie described him as met” in terms of attitude. Regardless,
Workshop in Nottingham run by the tireless Ian Smith that acting became anything more than a chance to
-
joy in its delirious madness. Made in
F
to pursue an acting career because, in his own words “it was the only class I did anything in,” it was only when
his mother and fellow actor and close friend, Michael Socha, the drama itself sidered a career. The decision was un-
The Room’s hilariously inept dialogue and acting, (as well as everything else) has created an unintentional classic of whatever the opposite of cinematic gold is”
requently hailed as the worst movie ever made, The Room is showing in Edinburgh this weekend, the latest of its showings to audiences
look to his parents, who tried to teach him discipline through boxing lessons and enrolment in the army cadets. But his call to acting would come much lat-
still only 24, can now command the attention of the large Hollywood stuent in favour of established actors. It is his grounded charm which is at least partly responsible for this. Nothing is more attractive in Hollywood
accruing wealth: more than once he has expressed a desire to buy his mum a house, “putting her somewhere under the sun” to repay her for all the support she gave him growing up, but it is doubtful he will abandon artistic integrity for monetary gain. Citing his recent experiences travelling the world knowledges that his eyes have been opened to new cultures and interests, tion to his profession. His experiential bubble is now far wider than when he grew up in Derby, a whole universe sical music fan and art enthusiast of today is a far cry from the self-confessed troublemaker who initially took
the heights of the A-List; however David McKenzie, who directed him in Starred Up, hopes he does not forego vour of “big buck fantasy franchises”. as a young actor, lest he fall victim to
unknown, uniquely gifted with nearly unlimited possibilities in front of him. pect his talents to be hot property for writers and directors alike in the coming years. His job now is to maintain this form and take the advice of David Mackenzie on board: to not shy away from the tough, uncompromising live up to the potential for which he has been recognised.
image: paramount pictures
W
hen the winner of the 2015 EE Rising Star award left the stage at
image: reuters
By Dan Troman @TheStudentFilm
the negative consequences of stardom.
not realised to its full potential, which is a shame, given the portrayals the actors deliver. Overall, Love is Strange is plenty food for thought.
of masterpiece in its own right, one that genre of movie conventions to become something so earnestly ludicrous it has become a lasting phenomenon. Inexplicably costing $6 million to produce and yet for all appearances looking like it was made from the spare change found in the pocket of a madman, The Room and HD cameras at the same time- a detail that sets the tone for the rest of the
scenes, dialogue that sounds like it was on Google translate before being delivered by malfunctioning robots on pain of death, and heinously long sex scenes that borrow footage from other equally the movie is a lovable, bonkers gem. The Room Johnny, a banker with a bonkers accent played by Wiseau, whose seemingly
best friend Mark. The bizarre narrative turns of this love triangle are interspersed with random minor characters
nowhere, harmless games of football that end in severe injury, and charming non sequiturs such as “I got the results cancer”. meant to be a black comedy all along, but down to the last detail The Room misguided attempt at a taut realist dramark, but its magical, hilarious ineptitude and its glimpse into the complex inner machinations of Tommy Wiseau are worth every last occasionally excruciating second. Molly Millar
17th Feburary 2015 29 www.studentnewspaper.org
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The History of Ideas
I
By Sarah Manavis Senior TV&Radio Writer
n the emerging world of popular podcast, people are moving further away from the typical, hour long show, wanting something that can be consumed quickly and keep them interested in a short sprint of a topic. BBC Radio 4 has undoubtedly tapped into this, having created their latest obsession: their new miniseries The History of Ideas. The small, typically ten minute long episodes are educational but enticing, making it the perfect merge of radio and podcast that entangles the listener in a black hole of addictive learning. The style of these shows is to drop the listener into a world that they have probably never even heard of beinsight into topics such as mythology and language. Fascinating narrators and guests wade their way into these
Learning
topics and make the listener want to follow them into the deep. You get prominent thinkers such as Noam Chomsky, but also lesser known, ‘big that particular episode. The program should be commended for cleverly making it so that each episode gives a well-respected scientist/philosopher/
interesting and fun. I enjoyed listening to them, learned a fair bit, and felt like I’d spent my time usefully. Eventually, there did follow some episodes which
Asylum
The Gift BBC One
By Hollie Swale Senior TV&Radio Writer
F
rom BBC4 comes a brand new satirical comedy: Asylum. It was created by Kayvan Novak – the man behind E4’s Phone – and stars Ben Miller as
Pancakes
Work
historian etc. a platform from which to speak on their specialty, catching the eye of the listener with a prominent thinker as they scroll through episodes. What is particularly remarkable about this series however, as I’ve touched on already, is how well structured and marketed The History of Ideas is to the modern world of media consumption. Radio 4, which can often be seen as old and dusty, failing to keep up with what is ‘cool’ or ‘modern’, has managed to keep up with the most recent innovations and ideas in the realm of media, whilst at the same time maintaining the quality of programming that gives Radio 4 its highly regarded reputation. It manages to make academic-style content interesting to even the most apathetic listener, because it formats all of its shows into small, speedy chunks which satisfy the adorable graphic videos to illustrate the content in small pieces as you listen, grabbing the visually inclined listernship to stay tuned. Unfortunately, the show does fail in consistency. There are a number of episodes that have been released since early January and I was lucky enough in
BBC Four
Holidays
By Laura Cain @ EdStudentTV
T
he Gift opens with the following intention: to
be honest, The Gift’s concept is pretty simple: one or two individuals who are
The show appears to be promising, perhaps similar in its politically satirical nature to . However, where Asylum falls short is in its comedic value. Hern’s sidekick Ludo, his ridiculously inept lawyer and a
lives to whom they desperately want to say ‘sorry’ or ‘thank you’. The show feels a bit like a spinWho Do You Think You Are? and Heir Hunters, albeit much more interesting and heart-wrenching. In the
should have elicited a laugh or a smile from me in theory, but something in the comedy’s delivery just missed the mark. Whilst not awful, I would not watch it again in a hurry. Although, being only 30 minutes long, maybe Asylum will get better as the series progresses and, for lovers of satires, it could be well be worth a watch.
for her childhood sweetheart, Herman, who moved to the US 58 years prior, after she made the mistake of having a dalliance with another man. Elsewhere, a soldier who lost the use of both his arms when he got hit by a man who saved his life when he landed a helicopter in an IRA hotspot and
image: en.wikipedia.org
Innovation
The History of Ideas is hopefully that made the others so tantilising. They felt like dry documentary pieces on topics that were not worth listening to, leaving me relieved that they were only twelve minutes. This is not hugely surprising, considering that there is such a large number of episodes, but listeners pick the right episode for their end up hoping for it to end, or even just
took him to the hospital. Matt Baker and Mel Giedroyc (who does more frowning here than on the ), drive around and have meetings with various professionals or friends of friends, asking them if they can help them break any ground in I could be cynical and tell you how it feels slightly contrived; about googling national registries on laptops in busy cafés, or the plastering of Sigur Rós-like compositions over weepy retellings, or even the purposeful walking around and earnest looks into the camera. I could even tell you how it feels a bit less like an investigation, and more like an intrusive prying into people’s lives. But that would be unfair, because the idea behind this show is one with which we can all connect, and which should be commended in this day of Big Brother and Made in Chelsea cessiveness. It’s endearing; you’re reing sorry and thank you are so vastly underrated. There’s a poignancy in the idea of being given a second chance to put things right, and this is why this show will succeed.
with which Radio 4 will grace us in the coming year. It is the perfect series for those of us with busy lifestyles, or who just want to spend small chunks of time learning something new without sucking their time into something too indepth. And because most episodes are only just over ten minutes, they are a perfect length for students, digestible for your commute to campus, or even killing time between classes. If Radio
Netflix Picks
by Poppy-AnnaWaterman
T
is an epic of a series. As a re-make of the British series written and starring Ricky Gervais, it is perhaps the only time that I have openly admitted that a US version was superior to the UK’s. It follows “an ordinary American of-
a decade. Unlike the UK version, where irritating and unlikable as the series progresses, Steve Carrell’s counterpart Michael Scott, becomes more endearseries allows you to see natural character arcs, as opposed to the forced storylines that can dominate sitcoms. era setup, without studio audience or a laugh track, which gives a sense of voyeurism, allowing the viewer to see plots and digressions that many of the cast are ignorant to. Through this, its ‘absurd’ humour fully comes across. loses some of its grindingly embarrassing moments in the trans-
4 is smart, this series will be the start of a ‘New Radio’, where stations that are considered to be ‘boring’ begin to shift some of their content down to the microsized needs of today’s millennial listeners, retaining their quality at the same level, but changing the rule book of how radio is supposed to be done. If they manage to succeed in making more programming, Radio 4 may make itself far more mainstream to the younger audience it so often seems to miss. lation to US screens, yet it compensates for this with some new and improved characters with more distinguished personalities and lives outside the ofate, military obsessed Gareth Keenan, Wilson, is interpreted as a ‘volunteer ture the tightly-wound Angela, the mysterious suggested criminal Creed, or Ryan, the constantly self-reinventing ‘temp’. As well as the often-absurd comedy and characters, there are themes of empathy and romance that make the show so watchable. Many of the cast also write and produce episodes, including B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling. Kaling, Novak and Lieberstein also play regular characters. Credited with twenty-four epi-
. surrealism creates a series that leaves you mourning its end. It manages to grow on you over time as you become more attached to even the blatantly unlikeable characters.
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Sport
debate
Has the demise of Rangers been good for Scottish football?
After losing to Celtic, Raith Rovers and Hibernian in recent weeks, Rangers have shown just how far they have fallen in the past few years. Has the demise of Rangers opened the door for other Scottish clubs, or has it simply exacerbated the economic and development problems that Scottish football currently faces?
By Matt Ford Senior Sports Writer @Matt_Journalist
W
ithout question, the never ending cloud of uncertainty surrounding Rangers has been a compelling storyline that we have all followed closely. Arguments about their demise and its implications for the nature of Scottish Football have unsurprisingly been hotly debated in the last few years, but arguably their liquidation and subsequent demotion to the basement of the Scottish Football League was positive. surprising. The most successful club in the history of the Scottish game left with their reputation in tatters and subjected to the ignominy of lining up alongside largely semi-professional clubs, in the unglamorous surroundings of Scottish Football’s Leagues One and Two. How is that a
positive, you may ask? Well, it does not come down to the glamour of Scottish Football that is the Old Firm. In many respects it comes down to the fact once it became public knowledge, sent out a warning to virtually every other professional football club in Britain as to what happens when Portsmouth’s fall from grace has been well documented within the English footballing pyramid, to lose a club of the magnitude of Rangers was unprecedented. In an age in football where money is no obstacle, it provided a stark wake up call for those who think the money-driven nature of football is sustainable. It isn’t, and mark my words, Rangers will be the this route if things don’t change and we aren’t more careful with how we manage football clubs. The sooner we realise they’re not rich men’s play things, frankly, the better.
I may have glossed over the immense have had to endure over the last few years. The uncertainty, the taunts, the instability. Looking back on how things transpired, it would have been
some sympathy. Yet, one must look to the positives it brought to the Scottish game. At least temporarily it ended the dominance of the ‘big two’ in Scottish football, and on paper at least, it gave the likes of Dundee United and Aberdeen the chance to close the sizeable gap on perennial champions Celtic. It also gave the opportunity to freshen up the Scottish football structure, a revamped version of which was launched in 2013 with the merger of the old SPL and Scottish Division’s One, Two and Three to form the SPFL. But perhaps even further still, it provided much needed cash injections for the teams who Rangers have faced on route to the Scottish League Two title in 2013 and the League One to ignore the sponsorship hit and TV revenue that losing a club with the
Image: scotlandnow.daIlyrecord.com
Yes: Rangers’ collapse highlights the dangers of modern-day financial mismanagement
the blue half of Glasgow provided a massive spike to, largely semi-professional, clubs’ attendances, brought in TV revenue for televised lower league games in which Rangers played, and the Scottish game. In my view, that’s a major positive. Nearly three years on, things are far from rosy. They are sitting 3rd in the Scottish Championship and place, and such is the situation that
events in the history of Scottish football. One of the most historic and successful clubs in world football and an undisputed giant of the Scottish game, Rangers were once seemingly plagued so many Scottish football clubs over the years. However, years
their toll and the Glasgow giants have been steadily working their way back up the Scottish footballing pyramid ever since. No one could argue that Rangers’ situation has not had a profound impact on the Scottish footballing landscape. The real question is whether
was taught a harsh lesson, and it is Rangers who are dealing with the consequences.
to emerge onto the Scottish football Scottish football or whether it may set back the progress we have witnessed over the past few years. The Premiership might previously have been considered a two horse race between the Old Firm but now Celtic’s title dreams face challenges from the likes of Aberdeen and Dundee United, not teams that will strike fear into the hearts of Celtic fans or inspire the kind of fanatical rivalry Old Firm fans have grown used to. The League and Scottish Cups may seem more open, indeed the cup format does give teams the chance to shock Celtic, but with the quality and depth of the Celtic squad it would be a brave man to bet his house against a domestic treble for the Bhoys this season. The risk is that Scottish football – already deemed boring when the two Glasgow giants essentially battled for the title between themselves – will face
Image: vooez.com
R
angers’ collapse into administration will probably go down as one
side of the game are not immune from
Lastly, Rangers’ absence has the potential to rob the national team of a proving ground for talented Scottish players. Even while toiling in the lower divisions, Rangers managed to produce
No: Their demise seems to have impacted Scotland’s ability to develop young talent By James Gutteridge @HawaytheJames
season isn’t inconceivable. However, the debacle surrounding Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall continues to rumble on. Yet the positives are there as Scottish football is undergoing its biggest renaissance in the last two decades. Rangers’ fall from grace may have provided the platform for this progress and a realisation that
an era of utter dominance by a single team, hardly a situation conducive to marketing your league and cup games to the broadcasting companies the sport is so reliant upon. This ties in to the economic challenge Scottish football must now face. There is no doubt a large proportion of the income in Scottish professional football was reliant on Rangers’ participation. Rangers’ have one of the largest fan bases in British football and
the general level of ticket sales for games in the Premiership, in no small part due to the absence of Rangers’ travelling support. As well as falling ticket sales, Scottish Premiership clubs have been forced to deal with reduced sponsorship revenues and lower interest from potential new sponsors, owing to the lack of participation from one of the only truly global clubs the country has
Macleod. A cursory look at the Scotland national team would reveal that many of the players currently representing their country either came through the Rangers youth ranks or honed their talents playing for Rangers, both domestically and at European level. With the loss of a club of Rangers’ stature, it will surely prove harder for young Scottish talent to prepare themselves for the challenges of international football. The obvious conclusion to draw is that without the Old Firm rivalry, Scottish football is just not the same. Lower average attendances and falling sponsorship and broadcasting revenue fall from grace has had. The sooner the ‘Gers return to their former glory, the better for anyone who can truly say they are a fan of Scottish football.
17th February 2015 31 www.studentnewspaper.org
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Sport
Hurri-Kane’s prolific form must continue to develop at Spurs Having scored the same number of goals as Messi in 2015, playing for Pochettino is where Harry Kane should remain
S
grew up near Chingford. It seems of late that in the frenzied attempt to jump on the Kane IMAGE: THESPORTSMASH.CO.UK
By Isabelle Boulert Senior Sport Writer @IALBoulert
before it has even begun.
ised at Spurs. huddles. passionate following where illustrious
the tender age of 10. Few mention
ties that Spurs seem to be bringing at present.
team and a smattering of lower league
true roots lie seems futile given Kane 2013.
Kane owes a great deal to Tottenham.
in the past.
Tottenham.
Majestic McIlroy confirms his position as golf’s golden boy The Northern Irishman’s rise seems to have coincided with the demise of Tiger Woods, arguably one of the greatest golfers of all time
That was the word that people used
It is impossible not to draw parallels
had lost his aura. One would have in the fourth round after leading the
By Rex Hugill @RexyHugill
1
and now 1st. That is the
the tee and able to summon reserves
among the best paid sportsmen in
resolute. He has dealt with disputes over
that he maintains has allowed him to It seems now that the man most
majors but the true test of that will represent when golf returns to the
notable step on that path. He travels all before him.
IMAGE COURTESY OF ED (SUPERGOLFDUDE)
the last man to sit atop the sport with
Sports Management. Throughout all
man to bet against him winning at
superstars.
17th February2015 32 www.studentnewspaper.org
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A.P. McCoy calls it quits after an illustrious career at the top Having won some of the biggest races in horse-racing, McCoy’s exit from the sport after over two decades at the top will leave a large chasm that is impossible to fill
A
months as a professional jump jockey will be an uncomfortable period for someone who still shuns the limelight after a career of unparalleled success. He wanted to announce his retirement on his own terms and go him - going out as champion jockey for to an astonishing career. There are captivating numbers, unforgettable individual events, but essentially there is a dogged, driven competitor who grimaced his way through season after season for twenty years emerging each time as Champion jockey. McCoy will be remembered by history as a ferocious athlete who nurtured his natural talent with a peerless determination. His hard work helped
him to success that will likely never be When he hangs up his boots he will be missed by his legions of fans the length and breadth of Britain, both for his winners and for his inimitable drive to win. His staying power, in a sport almost unmatched for its brutal and bruising nature, are the signs of freakish luck combined with a rare obdurateness.
Each time a jockey saddles up for a race they are aware that they could incur an injury of a career-ending, even life-changing magnitude. McCoy looked these odds in the face and, with a grim stare, continued to ride winners. McCoy though was never interested in shirking the pain and the risks
that moved to 999-1 on Betfair, including remarkably after he remounted Family Business after being unseated to win by a distance. A jockey who won almost all the major races in horse racing, he will look back perhaps most fondly on his Grand National win in 2010 aboard Don’t Push It.
Until now he has always been a man to look forward to the next horse, the
to win this famous race were doomed, being outdone by almost any means imaginable. Winning in 2010 though was a victory of great relief for McCoy, and when the preeminent jockey of his generation starts his last National, it is
memorable moments. Twice he has come home on horses
shortest odds in living memory. The clamour to catch a glimpse of this singular athlete is a surprise for someone who studiously ignores his own stature in order to keep coming back for more. So modest is the veteran that he describes the frenzy post-announcement as “not the ideal
“
For someone who has achieved feats which will almost certainly never be eclipsed, he deserves every single ovation he will surely receive” Like any jockey, McCoy has had his fair share of trips to the treatment room, sustaining injuries with frequency to almost every part of his body.
IMAGE: PAUL
By Gilbert Dowding @TheStudentSport
associated with his sport, even when it threatened his marriage - his wife threatened to leave him if he tried for the unthinkable milestone of 5,000 winners. He has never been one to sit and admire his achievements, stating, surprisingly, after his 4,000th winner at Towcester in November 2013, that he
he seeks to position himself. For someone who has achieved feats which will almost certainly never be eclipsed, he deserves every single ovation he will surely receive between bly illustrious career.
Redknapp departure could be blessing in disguise for QPR
I
knees. Not the millions of pounds wasted, not the bizarre tactic–free team selections or the eleven consecutive defeats away from home but dodgy knees that
that period. The much-maligned FA should take immense credit for their choice in 2012 to replace Fabio Capel-
hallmark of his triumphs. For a man The calls for him to be appointed at that time came on the back of a fouryear spell at Tottenham Hotspur that encapsulates the man’s entire career. He took over from misunderstood and with the club bottom of the league af-
the club after 105 games in charge, one a whole lot of excuses. man that was once fated to be England manager, further proof of the reer from being a professional rent-aquote, a friend of the tabloid hack and a supposed fantastic man-manager. His managerial CV has an FA Cup, of promotions. That this is considered impressive for a man with a 32-year career is an embarrassment to everyone who has reported on the sport in
This pattern of huge transfer fees, astronomical wages and bloated squads is one that is a hallmark of
Cup success since 1939, he is remarkably reviled by the Pompey faithful. This is because this success was based on an economic footing that proved entirely, and disastrously unstable. Portsmouth have endured repeated relegations and administrations whilst
inactivity on transfer deadline day, as for the job he did. What must so worbeen set, and that their club seems to be following it. For a man full of repeatable, headline-worthy soundbites, perhaps his most famous quote is that he is not “a
less funds. It is also ironic as the extent
in 2010 is excruciating and particu-
of Leroy Fer, Joey Barton, Karl Henry and Kranjcar, given the amount he
and carried them to comfortable safety. He continued to improve the side end of the 2009-2010 season. For the following two years until his dismissal, Spurs stayed as a constant thorn in the sides of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester’s City and United but never quite this revival through almost £100 million of transfer fees, even more on wages and with the use of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, neither of whom he brought to the club.
seemed to be repeatedly re-signing Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar and stock-piling hard-working grafters. That he has recently been
short of scandalous. He is, in many ways, a microcosm of English football’s worst traits. Spending to excess with no regard for the consequences, favouring functionality with all around him but himself. He’ll still have his friends in the media, in backrooms and in boys clubs, and
IMAGE: CRVCAK1
By Rex Hugill @RexyHugill
took his fancy came by, he would jump at the chance, dodgy knees or not. But for the time being, English football can move on, and it hasn’t come a deadline day too soon.