The Student 29/01/2013 by The Student

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Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

Minority students pressured into studying Medicine and Law By Lydia Wilson Staff News Writer

Photo: Richard Milnes

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EUSA rejects modifications to new HEAR system By Ilinca Barsan Staff News Writer

dinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) Academic Council debated and eventually rejected a motion to change the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) system last Monday. The HEAR, first awarded to students graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 2012, is a separate document additional to the degree certificate. It provides future employers with an official confirmation of students’ wider achievements during their course of study. This includes active involvement in societies, EUSA and Volunteering as well as achievements in The Edinburgh Award. It aims to provide a

record of the time and effort put into activities connected to the university. Critics of the HEAR argued that this system privileges certain kinds of activities over others, suggesting that the list of extra-curricular activities recognised by the HEAR is too limited. They argue that it disadvantages those who for various reasons cannot afford to spend a lot of time getting involved in university activities. Many students have no choice but to maintain a part-time job in order to support themselves. However, the university does not recognise this as a wider activity to be displayed on the HEAR. Claiming that additional occupations belong on the CV and not on an official university document, the motion expressed that the university should acknowledge academic results only. Monday’s motion resolved that

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EUSA would cease passing on information about its members for the purposes of the HEAR, calling the report a development with “significant flaws”. Those against the motion argued that there is no obligation to make use of this document in graduate job applications. Every graduate will be able to control which information they would like to have listed on the HEAR. Societies stress the importance of acknowledging contributions to the university in an official way, rewarding those who work hard to improve life in and around university. After making various amendments to the original motion, the Academic Council, which is open to all students of the University of Edinburgh, ultimately voted against it. Thus, EUSA will continue to cooperate with the university for the HEAR. Max Crema, Vice President

Services, said, “I’m delighted that so many people came along to Academic Council last Monday to make their voices heard. “I’m disappointed that the motion fell but I thought that the arguments put forward by both sides were articulate and respectful and, of course, I’ll respect the Council’s decision.” Andrew Burnie, Vice President for Academic Affairs, said, “While the motion clearly wasn’t what students wanted, most of those present believed that there is room for improvement in the HEAR. “For that reason I have already met with Sue Rigby, University Vice Principal Learning and Teaching, to discuss the HEAR and she is really keen to get feedback and ideas from students that can be a part of the University’s ongoing improvement process.”

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ccording to the government’s higher education access tsar, some teenagers are facing such extreme pressure from their parents to apply for highly competitive courses that they may miss out on the university experience altogether. Professor Les Ebdon, head of the Office for Fair Access, and former vice-chancellor of Bedfordshire University, expressed his concern about the fate of prospective ethnic minority students in an interview with the Sunday Times. “One of the underlying reasons for the under-representation of ethnic minorities in some highly selective universities is because they apply for Medicine and Law – both highly competitive courses – and a significant amount of that is parental pressure,” he told the paper. Even on succeeding in gaining admission onto such courses, the pressure continues to take its toll: “Colleagues tell me these students may not always be personally committed to Medicine or Law as a career, but that is the career their parents want for them.” Ebdon worries that this pressure can be damaging to the student both academically and psychologically, pushing them into a subject which, if given the opportunity, they would not choose to pursue. This can lead to them dropping out. “Deans of medical schools tell me some students face this terrible dilemma of a strong push from their parents but actually they then decide that Medicine is not for them.”

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Edinburgh Zoo staff build snowman for Tian Tian the panda

nowmen are not just the playmates of humans, Edinburgh Zoo proved last week when the zoo’s staff made female panda Tian Tian her very own snowman. The snowman stood a little higher than the bear herself, with carrots for buttons, eyes and a nose, and a hat made of ‘panda cake.’ Panda cake is a treat that the bears are given every few days, the exact recipe of which is kept secret by the pandas’ original keepers in China, but it is rumoured to contain soya, rice and nuts. Curiosity got the better of Tian Tian, who inspected the frosty figure in her enclosure before munching through his accessories and demolishing him, rolling the large snowballs

through her enclosure. Derek Elsby, a member of the visitor services Panda Team, managed to capture the panda’s fun in the snow on film, which has now reached over 6,000 views on YouTube. The footage shows the panda chasing the snowballs, smashing them and running excitedly around her enclosure. Environmental enrichment is a zoo practice of providing stimulation in the design of the enclosures, using space, objects, sounds, smells and interaction to promote natural species-specific behaviour. World renowned primatologist Jane Goodall personally expressed her approval of the chimpanzee Budongo Trial with its behavioural stimulation when she visited the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park last year. The natural climate of the giant

panda’s habitat in the mountain ranges of central China is very similar to Scotland: temperate conditions with abundant rainfall and infrequent extremes of temperature. Wild pandas enjoy playing in the snow and are not adverse to cold conditions. Keepers believe that this was Tian Tian’s first encounter with an actual snowman, and contributed to her environment enrichment as well as visitor enjoyment. The two giant pandas are still the top attraction at Edinburgh Zoo: they are the only of their species to reside in the UK for seventeen years, with visitors having to book time slots in advance to avoid disappointment. The attention on the pandas is set to increase in the coming month, as Tian Tian approaches her annual ‘fertility window’ and the pair are brought together for mating.

Photo: Edinburgh Zoo

By Nina Seale @hirundonovus

State school graduates fare better in university but worse in job market By Jimena Villar de Onis

tudents educated at state schools do better at university but fare worse in the graduate job market, according to a Bristol University study. 88 per cent of former state school pupils gain a 2:1 or a first, compared to 85 per cent of students educated in public schools. However, only 58 per cent of students educated in state schools are successful in the current job market against 74 per cent of students educated in the private sector.

Additionally, the starting salary of a state school-educated student is lower than that of their university classmates who were educated in a fee-paying school. Earning up to £3,000 less than privately educated graduates with the same degree classification, state school-educated students see themselves at a disadvantage when entering the labour market. With universities, the government and private sector organizations making an effort to facilitate access to universities for the middle and lower classes, this gap after university is worrying.

University vice-chancellors have accused the government of neglecting postgraduate funding, furthering the social divide from which the UK suffers. According to figures presented by universities across the UK, 8,000 fewer students are taking postgraduate courses and that fall is only expected to increase as undergraduate fees rise. In response to these figures, David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, has called for a meeting to discuss the growing problem and attempt to come up with solutions.

Henry Morris, the founder of upReach, a charitable group which aims to run a professional development programme in order to cover the gap and enable state-educated students to reach their full professional potential, has identified the problem for state-educated students as stemming from the fact that they have fewer networks and influential role models. Reports carried out by upReach show that pay is lower on average for students from less privileged backgrounds who received the same higher education as students from more affluent backgrounds. The charity also points to the fact

that employers now look for non-academic skills, such as communication, teamwork and organisational abilities which may be better cultivated within a more privileged background. When going into an interview students not only need higher education qualifications, but also a range of what Henry Morris calls “soft skills,” which include knowledge, networks and experience. upReach, which was launched this year, has started with a pilot project within London and Exeter, but is expected to extend to further cities in the UK if the pilot scheme is successful.

Edinburgh research isolates brain region responsible for spatial awareness By Nina Seale @hirundonovus

lectrical activity in the brain has been tracked by researchers at the University of Edinburgh to locate the section of the brain involved in maintaining spatial awareness. This research furthers the understanding of how we perceive things visually (e.g. knowing our way around a familiar room with our eyes shut), understand and connect concepts (e.g. mathematics) and arrange information logically (e.g. in a presentation). Dr Matthew Nolan, from the University’s Centre for Integrative Physiology, told the Student that one

of the surprising results of the study was discovering that active (or excitatory) cells within the area of study are not directly connected to each other, as expected. Instead, these active cells “talk” to each other only through inhibitory cells, previously thought to suppress activity in the brain. This means that activating one excitatory cell will supress activity of other excitatory cells elsewhere in the communication circuit. “To understand how this is used to work out where you are, imagine the network of excitatory cells is organised in a sheet. We sometimes think of the small group of active neurons as a bump in the sheet. When an animal moves, we imagine the bump moves

around the sheet. “In this way the identity of the active neurons, or members of the bump, can represent the location of the animal.

“

ly useful for research into conditions affected by spatial awareness and the brain’s electrical rhythms, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Our results provide an explanation for how, at a cellular level, this bump mechanism works. This cellular explanation is new and was not previously anticipated.” - Dr Matthew Nolan, Centre for Integrative Physiology

“Our results provide an explanation for how, at a cellular level, this bump mechanism works. This cellular explanation is new and was not previously anticipated.” This research will be primari-

Patients suffering from schizophrenia struggle to link separate aspects of events into an understandable and recognisable whole in their memory. Nolan believes that “only by understanding the cellular mech-

anisms by which neural circuits carry out computations can we then begin to understand what goes wrong in disorders such as schizophrenia.” Alzheimer’s disease is a result of neurodegeneration, where there is a progressive loss of structure or function of cells in the brain. The area of the brain studied by Nolan and his team is the first area in which loss of cells is observed during the development of Alzheimer’s, so this research about how these cells communicate with each other is hoped to further the understanding of this disease. This research could also have non-medical applications, such as navigation systems within robots like submarines and the Mars rovers.

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By Alistair Grant @aligrant_90

dinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) has passed a motion rejecting Princess Anne as chancellor of the university. The motion, entitled “Policy For A Democratic Chancellor Election”, was debated and passed at an emergency meeting on Tuesday 15 January, and called the election of Princess Anne to the position of chancellor of the university ‘illegitimate’, drawing attention to the ‘insufficient’ way in which the election was advertised and conducted. Princess Anne was elected chancellor after an uncontested election in which the option to re-open nominations was unavailable. The election was publicised in the Scotsman, but eligible voters were not directly informed that they could nominate someone, and were only contacted after the election via an email that alerted them to the Princess’s appointment. The appointment of Princess Anne as chancellor attracted protest and criticism from a number of sources when it was announced in 2011, including from Peter McColl, Lord Rector of the University. The “Policy For A Democratic Chancellor Election” motion passed by EUSA was subjected to an unprec-

edented number of suggested amendments, four of which were passed. The accepted amendments included the statement that, “EUSA believes there should be no royal family,” an amendment to the original motion which was passed after EUSA member Jacob Bloomfield dubbed the royal family’s existence “kind of weird”, in a speech. The motion further details that the position of chancellor should only be held for fixed terms of no more than ten years and that EUSA resolves, “To mandate all Sabbatical Officers and elected representatives to refuse to take part in any ceremony or formal function which Princess Anne is present at in her formal role as chancellor of the university.” This could include the Officers’ and representatives’ own graduation ceremonies. Further to this, the motion resolves to, “Support any and all future protests against Princess Anne’s presence on campus in her official role as chancellor.” In a statement released after the passing of the motion, James McAsh, EUSA President, said, “It saddens me that the university’s General Council missed an opportunity to reach out to graduates effectively for input into the selection of the public face of the university. “It is baffling that the General Council was equipped to email the alumni to announce Princess Anne’s

appointment, yet they felt it was unnecessary to invite nominations via the same channel. Considering the digital age, and graduate demographic, we expect and will call for a more modern approach.” The motion has received mixed reactions from students and EUSA representatives alike. David Harvey, a third year Philosophy student at the university who was present during the meeting, lent his support to the motion while expressing some reservations. He told the Student, “It is good that the motion passed. However, it is worrying that it contains the resolution that EUSA will ‘support any and all future protests against Princess Anne’s presence on campus in her official role’.” Meanwhile, Adam Collins, a fourth year student studying Medicine who worked on James Wood’s recent campaign for EUSA President, criticised several aspects of the motion. He told the Student, “This policy was a spectacularly short-sighted knee-jerk reaction to the impending honorary graduation. “Rather than craft an emergency motion to withdraw their representatives from the event and then consider a longer term plan more carefully, the proponents chose to draft a poorly written and ill considered motion which binds EUSA to a number of long term and wide ranging commitments,

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EUSA motions to reject Princess Anne as University Chancellor

potentially sacrificing considerable influence and goodwill within the university and demonstrating a now all too common obsession with favouring grand gestures of principle and idealism over mature negotiations.” He continued, “Suggestions that any kind of compromise amounts to accepting being bullied by the university are particularly immature and

mask the self-aggrandising wishes of many at the heart of EUSA to use it as a soapbox for their grand political dreams, at the expense of the students it was created to support.” Further to this, the Student has learnt of further criticisms of the motion within EUSA, with Medical School Representative Matthew Wood resigning in protest at EUSA’s decision.

Number of Firsts awarded by UK universities triples over ten years By Callum Mason Staff News Writer

tatistics published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that the number of first class honours degrees awarded by UK universities has trebled since 1999. The findings show that more than one in six students gained the highest possible grade at undergraduate level in 2012, whilst over 65 per cent of students gained at least an upper second class degree, commonly known as a 2:1. The statistics have received mixed responses amongst education experts. Many have called for a complete overhaul of the grading system, whilst others have argued that the increase merely shows an improvement in university standards. In light of the statistics, the As-

sociation of Graduate Recruitment (AGR) criticised the degree classification system, labelling it as “barely fit for purpose”. Carl Gilleard, the Chief Executive of AGR described the grading system as a ‘blunt’ recruitment tool, stating that the high volume of graduates gaining a first class degree meant that many recruiters would be forced to raise their minimum entry standards. HESA’s figures show that just under 250 thousand students left university in 2012 with ‘good honours’ of an upper second class level or higher. Since the vast majority of graduate recruiters use the 2:1 as their minimum entry standard, firms were swamped in 2012, with over 70 applicants per place. Despite the vast increase in top level honours being achieved, Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said that the rise in student

degree classifications was down to “increases in entry levels”. Dandridge went on to argue that as “performances in A level and other examinations have improved”, it is ‘unsurprising’ that results at university level have also developed.

Despite denying grade inflation as the reason behind HESA’s findings, Universities UK have admitted that the 200 year old degree class system alone cannot adequately differentiate between candidates, given the high number of pupils gaining the top class

“

It is widely accepted that the degree classification system is barely fit for purpose. As a recruitment tool it is a blunt and inconsistent measure, and so it is a shame it has become so heavily relied upon by employers.” - Carl Gilleard, AGR Chief Executive

In actual fact, although A Level grades have also improved on 1999 levels, they have risen at a much slower rate than degree results, with the number of pupils gaining A grades moving from 17.5 per cent in 1999, to 18.7 per cent in 2012.

of degree. According to Dandridge, the issuing of the new Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) to all university leavers, alongside their degree certificate, can solve this problem.

The HEAR is a new award recommended to all UK Universities by the 2012 Burgess Report on Higher Education. The report was led by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Chairman Sir Robert Burgess, and proposed a number of changes to higher education. The introduction of the HEAR was the most significant of these. The HEAR, due to be issued to leavers as soon as 2015, will record pupils’ individual modular results and extra-curricular positions of authority, to help employers receive a wider picture of students’ attainment at university. Despite a low key media coverage, the HEAR is set to be used by over 100 universities, in what is being labelled by Burgess himself as the “quiet qualifications revolution”.

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SNP to socially engineer university applications By Nina Seale @hirundonovus

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cotland’s Education Minister Mike Russell has applied proposals to force universities into using student background and academic potential as important considerations for university applications. This change comes as part of new legislation by the Scottish Government that allows for more political involvement in higher education matters. Russell was granted enforcement powers over management systems within universities and can now dictate how they make certain decisions, such as the allocation of university places to students. Tracey Slaven, the Scottish Government’s deputy director for higher education and learning support, spoke in favour of these new changes at a Holyrood inquiry investigating the Post-16 Education Bill, which asserts that universities that do not reach mandatory targets for places offered to poorer students will be fined. Liam McArthur, the Scottish Liberal Democrat educational spokesperson, questioned Slaven about whether the Bill was a “trade-off” between the concept of “fairness” within the admissions process and “displacement” of qualified students who would otherwise have received a place. Slaven agreed, arguing that, “This is about putting competition on

a more level playing field.” Not all students believe that this is not already the case, however. Zoë Booth, a second year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh, told the Student, “What they are doing is ridiculous. Coming from a working class family I had all the opportunities I ever needed.

“Poorer families, especially those in Scotland, are taught the same things and take the same examinations as everyone else. It’s not that they can’t get to university, it’s that they won’t. My dad’s a roofer and single parent to me, yet I still managed my way into university because I wanted to be there.

“You are what you make yourself, it doesn’t matter what your background. Why should middle class children suffer because some kid from the estate doesn’t want to put in the effort of actually doing something with their life?” Alan Simpson, chair of the Committee of the Scottish Chairs of High-

er Education Institutions, has also expressed his concerns about the increased government influence, believing that the current success of Scottish Universities (four of which are in the world’s top 200) is inextricably connected to the independence of these institutions.

Universities should target primary school children to widen access By Alex Shaw Staff News Writer

niversities and colleges should do more work with primary schools to encourage children to aspire to higher education, the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has said. Greater “collaboration between institutions” and “consultation with students” were seen as the most effective ways to improve outreach programmes for bright students from low participation neighbourhoods. Under OFFA proposals, children as young as seven would be targeted in programmes comprised of mentoring, summer schools and scheduled visits to university buildings.

In a statement, Professor Les Ebdon, Director of the Office for Fair Access, argued that universities and colleges should raise student aspirations by providing the “right advice and guidance” on options available to them. He said, “It’s crucial that outreach encompasses those who are not yet on the pathway to higher education as well as those who are already considering it.” Following the decision to raise tuition fees in 2010, universities seeking to charge students more than £6,000 are to sign an “annual access agreement” detailing how they aim to widen university participation. Speaking to the Independent, Professor Ebdon said that universities should focus more on outreach pro-

jects rather than providing bursaries for students from disadvantaged communities and schools: “We need to be better at spreading good practice and identifying the things that lead to success,” he said. The news is supported by a report by the Sutton Trust and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which found that high-achieving state school students avoid applying to selective UK universities due to a lack of information about higher education and low “self-efficacy” – confidence in their own ability. Professor Ebdon has previously been criticised for his views on university league tables’ “Oxford obsession” and his threat of a “nuclear” penalty of stopping institutions from charging higher fees if they failed to meet gov-

ernment standards. Critics fear that OFFA’s plans will threaten the “gold standard” that the top universities in the United Kingdom enjoy internationally. Top universities keen to widen participation from all social backgrounds may have to give priority of admissions to candidates from moredeprived areas. This may lead universities to lower their entry criteria for fear of having their funding capped. In a House of Commons Higher and Further Education debate, James Clappison, Conservative MP for Hertsmere, defended university admissions policy, stating that “the principle of university autonomy over admissions ought to be cherished”: “It would be anathema to some-

body who really believed in a free society to contemplate with equanimity the prospect of state interference, whether directly or indirectly [...] in university admissions,” he said. A student at the University of Edinburgh, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Getting kids to aspire to university should be the role of the schools themselves. The schools are the ones who know them the best and should be supporting them as much as possible.” Another student told the Student, “[OFFA’s] plans are all very well, but they don’t solve the main problem of exam culture in schools. You need to make children want to continue learning by inspiring them, not through tests and league tables.”

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Rising pressure on A-level students leading to high drop out rates By Callum Mason Staff News Writer

report published by education charity Policy Exchange has found that pressure to study more ‘academic’ subjects is leading to large numbers of A-Level students dropping out of their studies. The research cited in the report, which was based on the experiences of 2,400 teenagers in the North West of England, found that A-level dropout rates were as high as 31 per cent in some schools. It is predicted that the high dropout rate is costing the UK gov-

ernment around £300 million each year. Institutions receive funding for each pupil provided that the student is enrolled on their course for a period of over six weeks. The report’s researchers found that over 75 per cent of dropouts occurred after the six week mark, with the most common point of leaving being after the completion of the subsidiary AS levels one year into the A Level course. Pressure to study more academically taxing subjects may stem from universities publishing blacklists of ‘less desired’ subjects for students, which often include practical and less traditionally academic

courses. A guide produced by the Russell Group, an organisation of the UK’s top twenty universities, states that pupils studying more than one ‘soft’ subject may find “many degrees at competitive universities will not be open to them.” The guide, which was published officially in 2011 but was suspected to exist long before this date, cites vocational A-levels such as photography and accountancy as examples of ‘soft’ options. Dr. Owen Corrigan, who compiled the Policy Exchange report, said that progression to university was now seen as the “traditional aca-

demic trajectory,” but that for some students this was “not appropriate.” In the report he called for the development of top quality apprenticeships and vocational substitutes to A-levels, stating that “many students are suffering from the lack of alternatives to academic studies.” The report recommends that the UK government learn from European countries such as the Netherlands, which facilitates pre-16 vocational training. Youth unemployment in the Netherlands sits at the enviable level of just 9.4 per cent, whilst the UK’s stands at 14.7 per cent. There is also support in the

report for the UK government’s recently proposed English Baccalaureate (EBacc). In contrast to most ideology suggested in the report, the EBacc proposes updating age-16 examinations to be more rigorous, with single examinations being taken at the end of a two-year course rather than smaller modular examinations being taken throughout. Policy Exchange have said that the EBacc, unveiled in September 2012 by Education Secretary Michael Gove, is a robust suggestion but should be introduced alongside, rather than as an alternative, to a vocational Baccalaureate.

By Nina Seale @hirundonovus

he original plaster model of the bronze statue of Greyfriars Bobby was sold at an auction last week for £3,100. The bronze statue of Edinburgh’s favourite Skye terrier is curently located outside Greyfriars Kirkyard, on the end of Candlemaker Row opposite Bedlam Theatre; a hotspot for tourists. Sources dispute the original story of Greyfriars Bobby. The most popular is that Bobby belonged to night watchman of the Edinburgh City Police John Gray for two years before Gray’s untimely death from tuberculosis. Bobby was said to have spent the next fourteen years sitting on his master’s grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard, being fed on scraps by nearby restaurants. In 1867, when it was argued that the stray dog should be put down, the

Lord Provost of Edinburgh paid for Bobby’s license to make him the responsibility of the city council. In 2011, Jan Bondeson of Cardiff University published five years of research into the dog’s story, with the conclusion that not only was Bobby’s story fabricated to drum up tourism and business for local restaurants, but that the older dog was replaced with a younger one after the older dog died (which explains Bobby’s longevity). ‘Graveyard dogs’ were not uncommon in 19th century Europe, as stray dogs in cemeteries were pitied and fed by passers-by who believed that the dogs were being loyal to dead owners. Bobby seems to have become a very popular attraction after the Scotsman told his story. After Bobby’s death in 1872, a plaster model of the dog was made for the Edinburgh Council to approve for the public statue. The model was given to Chief Constable William Merrilees by the

company that made it, after he helped with the production of Walt Disney’s 1961 film about Wee Bobby. Merrilees was also given the canine star of the film, a Skye terrier named Wee Bobby, who made regular appearances at charity events as well as being joint Best Man at Merrilees’ marriage in 1968. Merrilees’ granddaughter, Margaret Cumming, decided to sell this historic treasure at an auction last week. She said, “Wee Bobby had a very special place in our family and the statue is a happy reminder of him, but sadly in the future I will not have space to keep him, so I need to let it go.” The 140th anniversary of Bobby’s statue was celebrated recently when former world champion piper Jennifer Hutcheon played at the dog’s tombstone (just inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard, not far from his master’s grave). A new pipe tune, “Tribute to Greyfriars Bobby”, was created and performed in his honour.

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Original plaster model of Greyfriars Bobby sold for £3,100

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ther studies in recent years have also remarked upon the apparent trend which sees undergraduate ethnic minority students entering fields such as Medicine more frequently. In a 2010 report published by the outreach-charity Business in the Community, researchers concluded

that Black or Black British Africans are most likely to study subjects allied to Medicine (25.7 per cent being the stated figure). Such courses were also revealed to have attracted more and more women from ethnic backgrounds, with twice the number enrolled in 2010 than 12 years previously. Ebdon insists that parents and children need to be more informed about university courses, in order to help them make more realistic choices

and to give the best chance of acceptance. Last week the watchdog told universities that they should start identifying degree potential in children as young as seven years old. However, this idea could encounter a problem in the shape of the government’s career advice reform, which has taken guidance away from local authorities and put power into the hands of schools.

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Ethnic minority students forced into highly competitive courses

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Firms set to hire more recent graduates in 2013 By Catriona Mallows Staff News Writer

survey announced by leading employers suggests that graduate job opportunities will

rise in 2013. High Flier, a research company specialising in student and graduate recruitment research, has recently announced that jobs available for graduates will increase in 2013. The survey was based on the top 100 biggest recruiters in the UK. Results indicated that top employers plan to hire 2.7 per cent more graduates than last year; 18,306 jobs will open as almost 50 per

cent of leading employers plan to hire more graduates this year. Job opportunities will be in the public sector, engineering, retail and industry. Almost half of employers plan to hire additional graduates in 2013, while a third will continue their intake from 2012. The highest starting salaries are at investment banks at approximately £45,000, with law firms following at about £38,000 and oil and energy companies at about £32,500. However, the average annual salary is said to remain at £29,000, a figure that has not changed for the last four years. Some students and employers are wary of this fact. Many are excit-

ed at this prospect of more job options but are worried that such opportunities could fall through. A similar survey taken in 2012 showed that job opportunities for graduates would rise by six per cent. However, High Flier’s report explained that this did not happen due to “the continuing uncertainty in the wider economy.” As graduates increasingly attain high degree grades, finding a job at the end of one’s university career is a struggle for many. Alana MacPherson, a 2012 business graduate from The University of Strathclyde, found a marketing job opportunity for TEFL, an organisation teaching English abroad.

She told the Student, “I know a lot of people who found it difficult, and some who continue to struggle in their graduate situation. I saw the opportunity to get my foot in the door and took it. I’m glad I did. The number of graduates isn’t reducing, so unless more opportunities are made available this situation is bound to continue.” A huge emphasis now lies on past work experience. The study found that over 50 per cent of employers would be highly unlikely to employ a graduate with no work experience, no matter his or her degree class. Jobs would be given to those who had had internships, previous work experience or vacation jobs previously with the

company. Martin Burchall, High Fliers Research’s managing director, explained, “Graduate recruiters warn that in a highly competitive job market, new graduates who have not had any work experience are increasingly unlikely to be offered a good graduate job.” Claire Mellon, a first year Law student at the University of Edinburgh, is concerned about what this could mean for her in years to come. She said, “I’m concerned about the current affair. I didn’t realise the importance of work experience. It’s worth beginning to build up my experience now as it will be worth it in the future.”

By Ben Donlan Staff News Writer

Cambridge professor has claimed that the use of social networking sites on the internet has contributed to a decline in essay writing ability and English language proficiency. David Abulafia, Professor of Mediterranean History at the University of Cambridge, said essay skills are “going down the plug hole’’ due to the “very compressed’’ language which many people use on social networking media. He added, “Even students from top ranked schools seem to find it very difficult when they arrive at top universities like Cambridge to write essays coherently. “We are talking about a mastery of the English language – the ability to write continuous prose, elegantly and precisely setting out an argument.

“The influence of microblogging sites like Twitter, where the user is limited to 140 characters per tweet, has seen a rise in language which ignores many grammatical rules and employs the heavy use of colloquialisms. “People no longer know how to write. It is a society in which fewer and fewer people read. “What they do write tends to be short messages in a sort of meta-language, with meta-spelling, on Twitter and Facebook.” Abulafia and those like him may also have an ally in the secretary of state for education, Michael Gove. Gove wants to reform the A-level qualification away from a modular structure, and said in a letter to Ofqual, the examinations regulator for England and Northern Ireland, “Leading university academics tell me that A-levels do not prepare students well enough for the demands of an undergraduate degree.’’

Professor Abulafia concurred, saying, “If we are talking about encouraging pupils at GCSE and A-level to look at the big picture, it means thinking about essay writing and this is a skill which seems to me to be very much lost. “In the sort of exams I am thinking of, essay writing comes much more to the fore and examiners would be making more subjective judgements about scripts. In an ideal world there would be double marking of scripts.” The government is keen to hear from university academics engaging in the debate around the design of A-levels, with Michael Gove saying that he wanted universities to have ‘’far greater involvement in the design and development of A-level qualifications then they do at present.’’ However, this desire for change has been met with criticism. Stephen Twigg, the shadow secretary of state for education, said, “Michael Gove is all about turning the clock back. This

Photo: Alex Pang

Cambridge don: Facebook, Twitter to blame for drop in literacy

plan would narrow people’s options.’’ The feared decrease in literary proficiency can be seen in the rise in remedial courses in literacy and nu-

meracy at some institutions which seek to improve basic, requisite competences.

New pilot scheme awards grants to some Scots studying in EU By Charlotte Brady Senior News Writer

new £750,000 pilot scheme will give Scottish students studying elsewhere in Europe access to a full package of financial support for the first time. The programme will see the Scottish government offer bursaries of up to £1,750 and loans of up to £5,500 to around 250 students studying in the

EU in 2014-15. Until this point students who included European institutions in their university searches were only eligible for support provided by the country they chose to study in. Mike Russell, the education secretary, said, “I want to ensure our young people have the opportunity to reap the cultural and career benefits of living and studying abroad. “This pilot will help Scots studying at European universities and en-

sure money is not a disadvantage to students considering this option.” NUS Scotland women’s officer, Stacey Devine, told the Herald this was “excellent news.” She said, “Studying abroad makes a huge difference to the lives, education and job prospects of those who take part, which is why the introduction of bursary and loan support for Scottish students studying at EU universities in 2014/15 is so important.

“We will also be looking for the Scottish Government to expand this pilot beyond 250 students.” Bethan Coles, studying International Business with Spanish at the University of Edinburgh, told the Student, “If the pilot scheme had been available when I was applying to university I still wouldn’t have applied to a university in mainland Europe because, despite bursaries and loans available, I would still have to pay tuition fees.

“Although I will spend my third year at a Spanish university, I wouldn’t be fluent enough to do any part of my degree there without first studying Spanish at a Scottish university for two years.” Funding is already provided by the Scottish government towards Erasmus and other opportunities available to students studying in Scotland who wish to study abroad for a single semester or full year.

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Opposition to SNP education policy By Nina Seale

Critics of Michael Russell’s education policy argue lower tier education reform is a better solution than forcing universities to prioritise poorer students in the selection process sing their attention on why students from poorer backgrounds have not been fulfilling the academic requirements, rather than blaming university admissions. The money for university fees for Scottish students is not to blame, as Scottish students do not have to pay tuition fees, and almost all English students are taking out huge student loans to cover the new £9,000 fees. More specifically, the problems lie in the younger years of education.

Improving state school education to better prepare students for their exams, as well as training them specifically for university applications the way independent schools do (giving students help with interviews, writing personal statements and developing valuable skills from extracurricular activities) is where the government need to focus. Instead, funding for further education from the government has been rapidly declining, with the basic unit of funding per student for an av-

Photo: www.wikipedia.org

n investigation into the number of students from deprived backgrounds going to top Scottish universities was published by the Herald last year, revealing that St Andrews University recruited 13 students from poor backgrounds, and the University of Edinburgh had admitted 91 students. The class divides, though much better than they have been, are still present in the UK and this investigation shows how this is reflected in our education system. So the Scottish government have decided that the answer lies in university admissions, and education minister Mike Russell has implemented proposals to force universities into prioritising student background when considering applications. This is a typical example of how the government responds to public and media pressure, but completely misses the point. Top universities choose students that will excel under high academic pressure and this is how Scottish universities have managed to obtain four places in the world’s top 200. The government should be focus-

erage college course dropping from £207 to £188 between 2010/11 and 2012/13. Just last week NUS Scotland called on the Scottish government to reverse the proposed £34.6 million cut to college budgets, supported by over 20,000 emails from students, lecturers and members of the community. Forcing the hand of universities to choose students based on their backgrounds rather than academic achievements will displace middle

class students who have worked hard to get the necessary grades. This was admitted by Tracey Slaven, the Scottish government’s deputy director for higher education and learning support, when she defended the post-16 education bill at a Holyrood enquiry. Universities that do not fill the necessary quotas of poor students will be fined. These changes come as a result of new legislation by the government that allows greater political interference within higher education; Russell can now enforce management systems within universities and take control over certain decisions, like admissions. Not only do these changes seem to be trying to change our higher education for the worse, but they are a waste of resources and time that could be spent on schools and colleges. If more students are admitted with lower academic grades, even if it is because they lacked the proper teaching (and not because they lacked potential), they will struggle to keep up when studying intense university courses that assume a certain level of knowledge. This will result in overall performance standards decreasing, and the fine names of our universities will suffer.

Support for the SNP education policy

cotland’s education secretary, Michael Russell, has recently told elite universities to increase the number of students from the poorest backgrounds, or face the penalty of fines. Elite Scottish universities, as revealed by the National Union of Students (NUS), are among the worst in the UK when it comes to fair access. St. Andrews was the worst of these, recruiting only 13 students from the most deprived backgrounds (relative to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) last year, which accounted for just 2.7 per cent of the intake. Aberdeen came second, admitting 51 students (3.1 per cent of the intake) from the poorest backgrounds, while the University of Edinburgh admitted 91 students (5 per cent of the intake). It seems that elite Scottish universities are indeed elitist, but efforts to improve this have sparked fierce debate.

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The proposals ... are not aimed at increasing the number of poorer students just for the sake of it” First things first, these proposals are not acting as a ‘social engineering’ vehicle. They are not aimed at increasing the number of poorer students at universities just for the sake of it. The “outcome agreements” simply, as stated by Universities Scotland, “look to introduce some form of contextualised admissions that takes an applicant’s background into account”. This will look to prevent elite universities from overlooking talented individuals who are held back by disadvantaged backgrounds. At the heart of the matter is whether or not you believe that a student’s background should be ‘contextualised’. Should a student from the poorest regions in Scotland gain

precedence over a privately educated student with the same grades? Undoubtedly yes. I am acutely aware of the advantages of private schools from my experience at one. We had smaller classes, more teaching time and more extensive guidance on higher education than you would receive at any

state school, let alone in the most deprived areas. The statistics clearly support this, as while roughly a third of privately educated students achieved three As at A Level last summer, only one in 40 students from the poorest 20 per cent of Scottish neighbourhoods achieved equivalent grades. This is not

because privately educated students are naturally superior, but because they profit from the advantages which their schools provide them. It is essential that universities recognise that three As is outstanding at a deprived Scottish school and only a little above average at a private school.

Proponents of the new policy suggest it will give talented youngsters a chance in higher education

Photo: www.northwood.uxbridgegazette.co.uk

By Jonny Ross-Tatam

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Surprise Israeli election results

nce again, the perils of predicting election results have been brought home by the pleasant surprise that right wing parties in Israel have failed to make the gains that were expected. This is a comfort in a campaign which has seen one ugly promise after another over which party can annex the greatest proportion of the West Bank. However, this election was particularly noteworthy due to the perceived reluctance of left wing parties to discuss the peace process. Whilst the Israelis are perfectly entitled to place emphasis on socio-economic problems at the forefront of this election, any long term guarantee of economic stability will not be resolved without a meaningful resolution with the Palestinians. The policies put forward by the various ultra-Orthodox, ultra-Zionist parties are guaranteed to ensure that any kind of agreement will not come soon. A recurrent feature of the buildup to the campaign was the prevailing mood that these elements would continue to govern, thus scuppering any immediate prospect of peace negotiations. This fear was exacerbated by the rise of Jewish Home, led by Naftali

Towering disappointment for Lance Armstrong fans

RIGHT WING LOSE VOTES IN ISRAELI ELECTION curity. The problem is that these elements seem irreconcilable and Israel’s own political history seems like a constant battle between those willing to make concessions and those who are not. Israel enjoys the diversity of opinion which is the benchmark of a modern democracy, but this can often work to its disadvantage when lives and livelihoods are at stake. The proportional representation system amplifies the voices which are representative of nobody but the extremist factions they represent. This reveals an image of an

Israel completely uninterested in the needs of Palestinians. Whoever one blames for the lack of progress on the issue of peace (and let’s be honest, neither side is blameless), the louder these voices are, the more Israel’s standing in the world is damaged. That is why, although not perfect himself, Lapid’s success proves that there remains a current in Israeli society which is not convinced by policies designed only to antagonize, but who reveal a true desire to engage with the Palestinians on a meaningful level.

NHS: Showmanship over substance By Phoebe Coghlan

mid hip-hop, suffragettes and James Bond, Danny Boyle’s Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrated Britain’s National Health Service (NHS). To a backdrop of acrobatics and “Tubular Bells”, it was presented to the world as an iconic institution, dedicated to improving public health. But is the NHS quite as romantic as Boyle’s impressive tribute makes it out to be? The coalition midterm review, released on Monday 7 January, is a continuation of Andrew Lansley’s Health and Social Care Act of July 2012. Their section on the NHS can only be described as incoherent mumbo jumbo. They use all the right words, committing themselves to “improving standards of care”. But a deeper insight reveals ideologically driven efforts to shrewdly dismantle a traditionally egalitarian healthcare system behind closed doors.

£1.5 billion will be saved annually through their abolition of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), come April 2013. It sounds impressive, but is in fact ludicrous. When PCTs are disbanded, their strong, coherent links with hospices, child and adult protection centres and public health experts will disappear with them, leaving healthcare dangerously fragmented. Paradoxically, the next step on the coalition’s healthcare agenda is to establish ‘Health & Wellbeing’ boards of co-ordination, strengthening ties between the NHS and local authorities. In other words, they are spending money on creating a system that they are simultaneously in the process of destroying. Another nonsensical strategy is their allocation of £400 million towards supporting carers under the NHS, whilst simultaneously cutting nurses who help to perform that precise job. The review also pioneers giving patients “more choice and a stronger voice”. This is mere façade. PCTs will

NEWS JACK NEWS JACK Nevertheless, this rhetoric is yet to be matched by action.

photo: huffpost.com

By Scott Dickson

Bennett, a party opposed to Palestinian statehood and supportive of expansion in the West Bank. Demographic changes have enhanced right wing prospects, with any immigrants from the former USSR tending to be staunch nationalists. However, the rise of Yair Lapid who formed the centrist Yesh Atid party only a year ago has proved a disheartening experience for the Israeli right. Their success means the right only has 61 seats, compared to 59 held by leftist/centrist parties, thus making Lapid a potential gamemaker in the creation of the next government. Reassuringly, he has set a precondition that any government he joins must indicate its interest in resuming peace talks. However, hypocrisy is still clearly present within Israeli politics. Arab political parties only garnered 12 seats in elections, showing that they continue to be underrepresented. Israel, as a Jewish state, has still not found a way to deal with this internal conflict. It is a representative parliamentary democracy, yet a significant section of its population have never enjoyed representation in government. There is nothing to suggest this dilemma will be solved any time soon. Annoyingly, no conclusions can really be drawn. Some want to talk about peace, some want to talk about jobs and some want to talk about se-

be replaced by 279 Clinical Commission Groups (CCGs), based primarily around consortia of GPs. Allocating GPs, who aren’t accountants, direct control over their budgets risks financial and moral disaster. Instead, £7 million is being wasted in recruiting management consultants from large corporate companies to teach GPs business skills. Turning doctors into businessmen not only puts patient care at risk as patient contact hours are replaced with bureaucratic duties, but GPs may also be more inclined to prioritise treatments that save money and maximise profit. Furthermore, chief executives and finance directors of these new CCGs will earn salaries of £170,000 whilst their counterpart healthcare staff face huge cuts. Even the coalition’s positive achievements cited in the review require further analysis. One success has been reducing patient waiting times for consultant led treatment to a maximum of eighteen weeks. However, Lansley’s

emerging two-tier healthcare system contradicts this; as 49 per cent of foundation hospital funding becomes open to the private sector, wealthier patients will be permitted to jump queues for beds and operations. Meanwhile, the rest of us will suffer longer waiting lists. Another success: 25,000 patients now have access to novel drugs thanks to a £600 million cancer drug fund. But there is no mention of George Osborne’s previous cuts to science and research. The midterm review takes us from one of the most universal and efficiently run health systems in the western world, according to the Commonwealth Fund, to a model closer to that of the US: possibly the worst run, most expensive per capita and most inequitable health care organisation in the modern world. So, however inspiring Danny Boyle’s tribute first appeared, reality humbles the spectacle to no more than a romanticised nostalgic fiction.

erhaps it’s their intellectual nature, but those working with books can always be relied upon to provide a hilarious swipe at current affairs. The highlight of the London riots was definitely the sign placed in the window of a bookshop reading: “we’re staying open – if they steal our books they might actually learn something.” Therefore it’s not surprising that book-loving folk have come up with the best response to the whole Lance-Armstrong-is-a-cheatingtoe-rag affair. In the wake of Armstrong admitting to Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs, customers in Manly Library, Sydney, were faced with a large sign declaring that “all non-fiction Lance Armstrong books will soon be moved to the fiction section.” Away from the witty world of books, spare a thought for poor old Karl Baxter, the plucky businessman from Bournemouth who has been left with 7,000 copies of a DVD entitled The Science of Lance Armstrong. Whilst the science of the most sophisticated doping scandal in sporting history is no doubt enthralling to chemistry students, the film was produced long before Armstrong was ousted. In what could easily be a storyline from Only Fools and Horses, Baxter paid £1 for every disc, hoping to shift them for £3 apiece. Instead he has been left to “think of something creative to do with them” after his investment became worthless. After discarding the idea of making wind chimes, Baxter came up with the brilliantly childish suggestion of “building a big tower.” Add to the “big tower” some copies of the fantasy novel previously known as Lance Armstrong’s autobiography and you’ve got a decent bonfire. Watch it all go up in smoke – just like the reputation of the world’s greatest cyclist.

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Obama’s “new liberal majority” By Tom Grant

“IT IS NOW OUR GENERATION’S TASK TO CARRY ON WHAT THOSE PIONEERS BEGAN” - Barack Obama US, describing it as one of the biggest moral problems of this era and stressing that dealing with this situation is of the greatest importance to his administration. Commenting on the dominance of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives, the president appealed to congressional leaders to make decisions and to “act knowing that our work will be imperfect”. The social safety net, which has been hotly disputed in congress, was also defended with the president highlighting its importance throughout the current economic malaise and the devastating effects of Hur-

Photo: the daily mail

n 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inaugural address spoke of fearlessness in the face of unprecedented economic adversity. Four years later, his second inaugural speech laid out the framework for his new liberal agenda to a United States struggling to get back on its feet. Beneath the backdrop of Capitol Hill, Barack Obama’s second inaugural speech on January 21st marked the start of his second term in office and, in perhaps the most liberal inaugural speech since 1933, he addressed the problems facing the US 80 years on. Emboldened by his comfortable election victory in November of last year, Obama unapologetically unveiled his progressive agenda. In the most memorable line of the night, Obama referred to Stonewall Inn, the gay night club in Greenwich Village which triggered clashes between police and the local gay community and played a significant role in igniting the gay rights movement. He also emphasised the inequality of wealth affecting the

ricane Sandy. However, what emerged most clearly from the speech was a new sense of confidence and a rhetoric that was politically precise, firm and bold. Although not as rousing as other speeches from Capitol Hill, such as Lincoln’s second inauguration address or Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, if the promises conveyed in Obama’s first official speech of his second term are fulfilled, it will be remembered as one of the most memorable, liberal presidential addresses in modern times. This time around, Obama is bet-

ter positioned to deal with the challenges ahead of him, and his second inaugural address suggests he is certainly capable of changing the direction of US political culture and society. Obama, who is only the fifth President in the history of the US to be elected twice, represents the new America. He clearly identifies with the demographic change that is sweeping across the country and demonstrates that minorities such as Hispanics and college-educated women are not the future, but the present. Along with his administration’s success in implementing socially democratic measures in the face of a hostile congress, Obama seems to be pursuing a popular liberal agenda in line with the values of his party. He has found and forged a new liberal majority, marking the end of the ‘Reagan alignment’ that has defined American politics for the past 30 years. Whether Obama’s legacy will match the iconic reputation of Franklin D. Roosevelt remains to be seen. Nevertheless, in signifying and forming this cultural and political shift, Obama has defined our generation.

Animal lovers say ‘neigh’ to meat

ver since horsemeat was found in cheap Tesco burgers, there have been many questions raised as to whether vegetarianism should be taken more seriously. Is this scandal enough to motivate more people to make such a dramatic lifestyle change, or has it simply brought to the surface a fresh wave of outrage fuelled by a mixture of sentimentality and double standards? Why should keen meat eaters be content with the idea of eating cows, sheep and chickens while still preserving the view that eating other species is an atrocity? The issue does not challenge meat eaters’ moral standards, but instead challenges the fairly recent phenomenon of buying large quantities of meat for next to nothing. Here it could be argued that people need not cut out meat altogether, but rather alter their attitudes towards it. Consumers now need to acknowledge the fact that animal products should not be eaten daily, as it inevitably results in mass production, making high animal welfare standards and high quality products impossible to maintain. Celebrity chef and animal welfare advocate Hugh Fearnley-Whit-

tingstall argues that, in order to ensure the quality and welfare of animals farmed for consumption, we need to buy organic, free-range cuts once or twice a week rather than opting for lower quality produce on a daily basis.

“

Consumers now need to acknowledge the fact that animal products should not be eaten daily” The horsemeat horror story has also encouraged what some perceive as a rather self-righteous, smug reaction from many vegetarians and vegans,

which is entirely unhelpful to any cause or principle that a vegetarian aims to promote. The core reasons for vegetarianism are essentially the very real worry that animals are mistreated when being mass produced and the idea that if the world population was vegetarian, world hunger would cease to exist. Eating better meat less often would also help to provide a solution to these tragedies as well as being more realistic and less alienating to many. The latest ‘human branding’ phenomenon, a new form of protest where vigilant vegetarians and vegans publicly burn numbers onto their skin to represent similar treatment to many animals, is

ARE PEOPLE BEING FORCED TO SEE MEAT IN A NEW LIGHT?

Photo: tomrobak.com

By Kezia Kernighan

so extreme that it seems to have failed in promoting a meat free diet. Instead, it has achieved the unintentional goal of alienating many from the very idea of a vegetarian lifestyle by associating it with fundamentalism and a lack of reason. Ultimately, vegetarians and vegans have missed a great opportunity which arose following the Tesco burger scandal, which they could have used to emphasise the rationale behind their lifestyles as well as promoting a less carnivorous diet as a way of appealing to a wider audience. It would seem that the incident has merely shone light upon a particularly squeamish and hypocritical society, where it is more horrifying to eat a horse than a battery farmed chicken or pig. Of course a product should always contain exactly what it says it does, but the general outrage has not been aimed at the miscommunication of information, but at the actual idea of eating an animal which is not usually eaten. Essentially this horror story requires us to re-evaluate our priorities; do we want vast quantities of low quality meat from poorly treated animals, or is there an argument for a more old-fashioned approach to meat eating?

By James Taylor By James Taylor

r Market and r hisMarket team of and top his e c oteam n o mofi stop ts economists note that note exthataffected excessive cessive snow has the snow seems have affected the markets thistoweek. movements of the this As the UK has markets become even week. the UK are has become colder,Aspeople escapingeven to colder, runningInternaaway to warm, people exotic are locations; warm, exotic locations: International Consolidated Airlines Group tional Consolidated Airlines Group have seized this opportunity to have to whisk seized people this away,opportunity flying to the whisk They are flying top up people by 7.01away. per cent. Meanwhile, up by 7.01on perboard cent and jumpingthe on jumping to provide board to provide the muchisneeded essential travel insurance Admitravel insurance is Admiral ral Group PLC who is sailing Group ahead PLC who6.03 is sailing ahead an extra an extra per cent. 6.03 per As cent. students across the Surprisingly, Burberry Group nation have been distracted has managed to capitalise on the by not snow, textbook providweather, struggling to tempt their ers Pearson Group PLC have wealthier clients into enduring the clearly been failing to get their snow, insteadas watching them escape attention, they’ve dropped abroad theycent. drop This 0.10 per cent . by 4.98asper shortfall throughout the nadue As to students weather is surprising tion have analysts been distracted by snow, market everywhere, textbook Pearson Group as their providers powerful subsidiary, PLC, have clearly been failing get Penguin, normally lovestothe their attention as they’ve dropped snowy conditions. by 4.98 cent. Thisadvice shortfallfor in Mr per Market’s such weather surprisingout market the week is is‘cheque’ the analysts as their powweathereverywhere before investing this erful subsidiary, Penguin, normally week; a smart buy in Stella left loves the snowy outside couldconditions. lead to a very Mr celebration. Market’s advice for the chilled week is ‘cheque’ out the weather before investing this week, a smart buy in Stella left outside could lead to a very chilled celebration.

@nlmcntyr Nothing like the library cleaners telling you to put your bag on your desk to “keep the mice out” #Infested @theswainviour A girl in my seminar is presently looking up Potato soup. That is the definition of bad chat. #EdUni @danscottl Just managed to accidentally blare out some screamy metal to the whole of the second floor #redwithembarrassment

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Reflections on the Delhi rape trial

veryone can agree that the now infamous worldwide gang rape incident which occurred in New Delhi on December 16 was a heinous and disgusting crime, which becomes more severe with each new detail leaked. The case has led to an almost universal lynch-mob mentality which accelerated after the 23-year-old woman at the centre of the crime died from the severity of the injuries she sustained. Given the abominable sadism that went into the seemingly premeditated gang rape by six men, many are expressing their full support for the death sentence (which is legal in India) as a fitting punishment.

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The journey to gender equality has accelerated massively” The publicity surrounding the case has lead to immeasurable pressure put upon the Indian governing system to deal with the perpetrators swiftly. As a result, five fast-track court systems have been established to deal with sexual offence crimes in the capital with urgency. Although this provides a po-

tential solution to the over-crowded and lengthy legal procedure within the nation’s capital, the new system could lead to unfair trials, with the courts being pressured to reach judgements in just a couple of weeks. Several local lawyers refused the opportunity to defend the men, but the three who volunteered look incompetent for the job, bickering amongst themselves and making contradictory and sometimes prejudiced comments. They have suggested the blame lies, if not upon the victim’s friend, for not protecting her, on the unnamed woman herself, one saying he had never heard of a “respected lady” being raped in India. The trial has begun for five of the accused men, but a sixth is going through rigorous medical testing to substantiate claims that he was a juvenile at the time of the attack. If tried as a juvenile he will only receive a 3-year sentence at a facility, despite details emerging that he was one of the most brutal participants in the attack. He was alleged to have raped the victim twice, once when she was unconscious, and used a metal crowbar to penetrate the victim so severely that her intestines were reported to have been externally visible; further reports suggest he even went as far as ripping them out with his bare hands. Upon these reve-

“ONE CANNOT CHANGE MINDSETS BY LIGHTING CANDLES” Photo: globalpost.com

By Kelly Leigh-Cooper

lations there has been a public outcry to have him tried as an adult, regardless of whether or not he was 17 at the time of the attack, in order to be eligible for the death penalty punishment. This crime has exposed not only an underlying backwards attitude towards gender equality in a few people in a democratic country, but total incompetency on every level in dealing with violence against women. After the 45-minute prolonged attack, the pair were dumped on the side of a busy road and were largely ignored by passers-by. When police eventually

arrived they wasted time deciding under which police station’s jurisdiction the case fell, at which point the victim, who would die 13 days later from the injuries she sustained, was left bleeding profusely at the roadside. Despite medical advice against it, politicians decided she was to be transferred to a hospital in Singapore on 26 December in order to receive an organ transplant, but she lost consciousness during the six-hour flight and never recovered. Her humanity seems to have been forgotten by all involved. If a positive can be taken from

this tragedy, it has vitalised the fight for women’s rights in India, especially in the capital. Words like ‘rape’ are becoming less taboo every day, and the Justice Verma Committee has been set up by the government to suggest measures to improve women’s security. The victim’s companion said in an interview that “One cannot change mindsets by lighting candles. You have to help people on the road when they need help”. The journey to gender equality has accelerated massively, but not before one of India’s daughters was forced to be a martyr to the cause.

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By Cameron Taylor @cameronitaylor

he fervent debate about what needs to be done in the wake of December’s Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, where 27 were killed, has awakened discussion about American society. Part playing on stereotypes and part facing the objective facts, media attention has focused not just on the single issue of gun ownership and prevalence, but also on the deeper American psyche and why these tragedies seem to occur with such saddening regularity. Is America a fundamentally more violent society than other comparable western liberal democracies? President Obama has sought to try to address the issue and reform some of the rectifiable issues by seeking to introduce gun control. As ever, those pro-gun control and those against it have both been vociferous in supporting their respective stances. At the debate’s core is the second amendment to the US constitution, the right to bear arms. Whilst those pro-gun control say that you can still bear arms, just with a little government regulation of those arms, the anti-gun control lobby demand an absolutist reading of this enshrined right. Those on both sides refer first to statistics, however misleading these can be. Per capita, per thousand, and per firearm numbers and fractions are peddled out ad infinitum and do little to actually advance the debate. Comparing America’s rate of firearms murder to other countries does little to uncover any previously unknown truths. The anti-gun lobby compare America with Japan, a similar democratically and economically developed country and an ally, which has an astoundingly low rate of gun murder; as few as two in the entire country in 2006, eleven in 2008, and seven in 2009. The pro-gun lobby point to the statistic that places America 26th in the world in terms of gun murder, trying to highlight that relatively speaking, America does not rank among the absolute worst. Both isolated statistics ignore the wider facts. Japan has an almost blanket ban on firearms and even the Japanese mafia rarely uses guns because they are so difficult to get hold of. And even though America ranks behind 25 other countries, the countries above them such as Columbia and Honduras cannot be said to have anywhere near as strong a central government as America. Whilst lots of comparisons are made between the US and the UK, it is somewhat like comparing apples and oranges. The UK firstly has five times

fewer people than the US, and secondly, the gun laws are not at all apt for comparison. Whether it is helpful to point to what happens in other countries in the wake of a tragic shooting at an elementary school from either side of the argument, is another question. Many have viewed the feisty debate between Brit Piers Morgan and pro-gun radio talk show host Alex Jones on the former’s CNN show. It seems an apt microcosm of the current debate in America and an example of the passion and importance that both sides of the argument bring to the discussion. Whilst it is true that Jones hardly tries to engage in reasoned debate with the host, it is also true that Morgan’s repetition of somewhat toothless questions such as “What were the gun crime statistics in Britain?” do nothing to further the debate. The two men lived up to their stereotypes for those who already have a stance on the issue: Jones as the right wing, nut-job gun-nut to those who want gun control and Morgan as both the woolly liberal and ignorant foreigner to the traditional conservative base who support an absolutist reading of the second amendment. This and other media sideshows do nothing to actually advance the dialogue and better address the fundamental issues behind gun violence in America, whatever they may be. This is why Obama tasked his vice president, Joe Biden, with leading a task force to look at proponents from both ends of the gun lobby and present his recommendations for any further gun control, if it is indeed needed. Among Biden’s key recommendations which Obama is seeking to introduce are: reintroducing a ban on military style assault weapons, banning possession and sale of armour piercing rounds, and making background checks mandatory for all gun sales, including at gun shows and private sales, which account for around 40 per cent of all gun sales. Whether these measures can be pushed through Congress and past the Republican opposition, who are both largely anti-gun control and have been infamously obstructionist to Obama’s other reforms, remains to be seen. What seems alien to people from other countries is the reaction of the pro-gun lobby in the wake of shootings like this. There seems to be collective incredulity, especially from the more left wing media, at the support from some for the maintaining of current gun laws which evidently don’t seem to be working. The marrying of constitutional rights and big business interests creates a heady cocktail of support for lax gun regulation that seems a distinctly American phenomenon to

IN GUNS WE TRUST those across the pond and beyond. The chief and often loudest voice that opposes any further gun regulation is the National Rifle Association (NRA), an organisation of over four million Americans that has been lobbying for the protection of the second amendment since 1871. In the wake of another tragic gun massacre the NRA is not only on the defensive, but has overtly gone on the offensive in the face of renewed criticism. They recently produced an attack advertisement that calls Obama “another elitist hypocrite” because he does not want guns around to protect average American children, while his children are protected by armed secret service agents. How logical this statement may or may not be aside, it is clear, and always has been, that groups such as the NRA who hold their second amendment right to bear arms dear will fight tooth and nail before they relinquish them.

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Is America a fundamentally more violent society than other comparable western liberal democracies?” As actor and ex-president of the NRA Charlton Heston declared in 2003, those rights will have to be taken “from [his] cold, dead hands.” It also appears that no press is bad press for the gun industry and lobby. The news not only reported on the individual stories of tragedy in the days following the Sandy Hook shooting, but also showed pictures of long lines of customers outside gun shops all across America, some undoubtedly encouraged by the logic of the NRA that the only way to protect against a bad guy with a gun is to be a good guy with a gun. Whilst some either fail to understand this cultural difference, or merely find it immensely unpalatable, this fails to take into account the cold hard facts of the issue: both the second

amendment and the lobbying culture of America aren’t going anywhere any time soon. So what can be done? Is there no hope for America and its endemic problem of firearm violence? Further gun control measures, whether they are passed or not, cannot address all the other factors that contribute to atrocities like this happening. Some are unique to the US, some are universal, and it becomes increasingly hard to prove which of the plethora of causal factors is actually linked to the phenomenon. America may have private gun ownership that basically equates to one gun per person, but there must be something in American society and culture that makes a comparatively higher proportion of people want to go out and use those weapons against others. Heavy metal music, along with goth subculture, was given as a motive for the two perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School shootings, which killed 13 people. Marilyn Manson became an unlikely scapegoat, and his lyrics were pored over and analysed, resulting in sensationalist headlines such as, “Devil Worshipping Maniac Told Kids To Kill.” The American federal system has also been blamed. With no uniformity from Washington, something Obama is trying to address, it makes a slight mockery of measures for the control of assault weapons in some states but not others. The effect of having a ban in California but free passage into the neighbouring state of Nevada, which does not, is hardly much of a safeguard for the residents of San Francisco against someone determined to get his hands on an assault weapon and commit a shooting. Violence in movies and video games is also nearly always given as a reason for the spread of gun violence, especially when the perpetrators are

JALEN VASQUEZ

29th January 2013 12 www.studentnewspaper.org

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members of a younger generation. Quentin Tarantino has been grilled about the link between violence in movies and real life during the press tour for his latest offering, Django Unchained. Tarantino has long stated that the two phenomena are not connected and seems increasingly tetchy about the subject if his answers to Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Channel 4 News are anything to go by (well worth a YouTube.) Dr Tim Stanley writes that America’s attitude to mental health is a contributing factor as the perpetrators of mass shootings are often those with mental health problems that are not addressed. The mother of Adam Lanza, the man who killed 27 women and children at Sandy Hook elementary school, has written about her son’s pre-existing mental health problems, and recalls that a social worker once told her that he would be best cared for if he was in prison. A recent study has shown that of the 61 mass shootings in the US over the last 30 years, over half the killers had apparent mental illnesses before they committed their crimes. Obama’s gun control laws can only go so far to address the issue, because after every mass shooting it becomes clearer that it is not only the prevalence of firearms but also the American psyche that needs addressing. It would be unfair to single out Americans as a people for being sociopaths or more inherently and instinctively violent than anybody else, but it would also be wrong to think that merely making it slightly harder to get guns will change cultural attitudes to violence. If America is serious about stopping the next Sandy Hook or Virginia Tech or Oklahoma City from happening, then Obama’s proposed regulations are the start of a much longer process.

29th January 2013 13 www.studentnewspaper.org

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By Susan Lechelt

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Andrea leganza

dy this. Today, it is crucial to spread this knowledge – information about efficient harvesting, safe handling, and shelf-life prolonging storage – to developing and newly-developing regions. Rather than investing in short term international aid, it is important to help these regions build a sustainable infrastructure that will boost the yield of localised, safe and quality food available for consumption. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is helping to do just that. Speaking on rural development in developing countries, German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner recently stated, “We need to concentrate our efforts on the farmers. […] This is done by promoting locally based training and education, for example, and we have initiated a number of important agricultural training schemes.” Researchers are also finding

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num. Perhaps surprisingly, high levels of waste occur in every economic class, though by varying means. Newly developing regions where most of the population growth will take place in coming years suffer from lack of access to modern agricultural technology, as well as deficient food storage and transportation methods. Developing regions, such as China, which are now experiencing population decline and stabilisation as well as a dramatic rise in affluence, face similar issues. In both of these regions, food waste predominately occurs at the level of farming and processing. Inefficient harvesting practices cause losses of food before processing. In Vietnam, for example, up to 80 per cent of rice reportedly does not make it from the field to the plate. The world already possesses the knowledge required to reme-

ways to tailor agricultural practices to specific environments. Columbia University, which has been working with several villages in sub-Saharan Africa through the Millennium Villages Project, has found that simply by tackling the issues of soil depletion via closer control of fertiliser and use of up-todate agronomic and engineering practices it is possible to as much as triple cereal grain harvest. Through this initiative the villages involved have become self-sufficient, as their harvests have surpassed their calorific need. In fully developed regions such as Europe and North America, bountiful resources and agricultural and technological progress have led to different issues regarding waste. The affluence of these regions has driven many detrimental social and economic practices which create copious amounts of food waste at retail and consumer levels. Embarrassingly, the UK is only slightly lagging behind the USA with the second highest percentage of food wasted in the world. Fortunately, this issue can be greatly impacted by individual intervention. Western society’s norm of wasting food is largely rooted in the marketing and retailing world. Large retailers often reject entire stocks of perfectly edible food for purely cosmetic reasons such as smaller size or imperfect colour. Consumers have become used to these unrealistic standards and feed back into the system, rejecting slightly imperfect food at stores. Another issue is buying in bulk and ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ promotions which encourage consumers to buy products in quantities exceeding their needs. The general population’s poor understanding of the distinctions between use-by, sell-by and best-before dates exacerbates this problem. Many are unaware that only use-by

Photo: Sporkist

nsuring that everyone in the world has access to sufficient and nutritious food is arguably one of the most fundamental underpinnings of human civilisation. Unfortunately, the world population currently includes around one billion chronically malnourished people and an equal number of overweight and obese people. With the global population rising dramatically – a rise expected to result in two billion more mouths to feed by 2050 – it is time to drastically change the way society views and deals with food. Increasing food production is, of course, an essential factor in providing the world with enough food in the future. Scientists, agriculturalists and engineers must continue to work to find innovative solutions to the limitations on productivity that are imposed by limited energy and water resources and insufficient agricultural land. However, it is important to realise that learning how to sustainably produce more food will require lengthy stages of innovation and implementation. In the meantime, however, we can utilise the knowledge and resources that we already possess to knock down another of the greatest obstacles to achieving global food security – food wastage. According to a recent report by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), food wastage is one of the biggest barriers to achieving global food security. The report, entitled “Global Food; Waste Not, Want Not”, estimates that the world wastes between 30 and 50 per cent of the food it produces. This amounts to a whopping 1.2 billion metric tonnes per an-

dates refer to food safety, while the latter two relate to food quality. Many of the bulk deals snapped up by customers end up in the waste basket as soon as the food hits a conservative ‘expiration date’. According to IMechE, these habits cost the average household £480 in wasted food annually. In the UK an estimated £1 billion worth of food within its use-by date is disposed of annually. That money could make quite a splash if it was used to invest in infrastructure projects and agricultural education for developing countries. It should be noted that not all developed countries follow this trend of excessive food consumerism and waste. It is helpful to look to populations with similar economic status to the United Kingdom’s who manage to keep food waste at a lower level, such as Germany. It is clear that in such countries responsible consumption is seen as a cultural norm and widespread interest in the issue creates pressure for political and social action. If the UK followed suit we could easily get rid of our billion pound bin bag of food waste. According to ImechE, countries like the UK must educate society about the implications of population growth and confined resources and actively encourage political and social changes in the ways that citizens view and consume food. Whereas developing regions require further support to limit wastage, in developed countries such as the UK, the power to reduce waste lies at the fingertips of the population. Currently Britain is fortunate to have unlimited access to safe and nutritious food, but with the world’s population continuing to rise dramatically, we must begin to change our habits to ensure that everyone in the world can enjoy the basic right of being able to obtain sufficient and nutritious food.

29th January 2013 14 www.studentnewspaper.org

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By Rachel Wilson

THE OBSESSIVE FORM It would appear then that Dunham’s nakedness is the antithesis of the accepted female nude in mainstream entertainment. If we are to see the Hollywood actress partially undressed on screen, it must be for sexual reasons. Her underwear is invariably aesthetically pleasing, her skin by its very being there (or, indeed, bare) is suggestive. Why? Because of the long-standing mantra, “sex sells”. It’s widely accepted that men will pay to watch an actress undress and women will pay to learn how to be sexually attractive under the male gaze.

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Men’s magazines and the logic behind “sex sells” are insulting to women, but also, crucially, to men” We only need to look at Megan Fox to see how men’s sexual appetites can make a woman’s career. After recently interviewing Fox, Esquire’s Stephen Marche wrote of how “The brow is in perfect balance [...] It’s not really even that beautiful. It’s closer to the sublime, a force of nature, the patterns of waves crisscrossing a lake, snow avalanching down the side of a mountain, an elaborately camouflaged butterfly. What she is is flawless. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her.” Marche’s description is equally

akin to a Heat magazine article featuring enlarged photographs of female celebrities’ cellulite and a sixteenth century love sonnet; derogatory or revering, each deconstructs the woman by her body parts. Moreover he extols the ‘flawless’ woman not as an opinion, but as a fact. This is vital to note; men’s magazines and the logic behind “sex sells” are insulting to women, yes, but also, crucially, to men. In putting Fox or any other specimen on the ‘perfect woman’ pedestal of a magazine cover, we assume that all men share the same tastes. In doing so, we are necessarily fetishising any preference deviating from this accepted norm. Critically, all this is not to say that men are to blame. Instead, it’s the fact that we all buy into one idea of what is attractive when in reality attractiveness isn’t solely a physical quality, let alone a uniform one. While a good proportion of sexualised imagery is supposedly for men’s benefit, it’s vital to point out that an alarming amount of scrutiny comes from other women. Women’s magazines delight in the red circle of shame, imploring the average (female) reader to celebrate that celebs are susceptible to gaining weight or getting spots or even having knobbly knees too! These constructs having been created, it’s transgressive to flout them. Predictably though, attempts to

dilute and diversify the typical shapes we see on the pages of magazines and on our screens have been quickly commodified by advertisers. Dove’s ‘Real Women’ campaign, which featured women with ‘real’ body types, saw their sales rocket. Recently, Grazia released a Healthy Body issue which featured a size 8 Daisy Lowe, described as having “thunder thighs”, as a ‘healthy’ body type. This approach, designed to make a female readership feel represented but also to increase sales and avoid criticism, can be just as damaging as promoting a certain shape as perfect. Defining the shapes of ‘real’ and ‘healthy’ women just provides more arbitrary additions to an already unhelpful method of categorisation.

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Instead of promoting a healthy body type, we should be promoting a healthy acceptance of human shape and form”

Having said this, health is undeniably an important issue inextricable from the problem of body image. In a way, clinically obese singer Beth Ditto’s stint on the catwalk for Jean Paul Gaultier’s in 2011 does as little to promote healthy living as the mantra “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. ‘Healthy’ is only useful in

Illustration: Jalen Vasquez

he body. The female body. Likely, the first phrase will have presented to you a simple, anatomical image similar to those found in GCSE biology textbooks, while the second presents itself as an inexhaustible library of images ranging from the maternal to the sculptural via the pornographic and the sartorial. In all likelihood, for a number of girls who happen to read this article, it will have also provoked introspection and possibly a number of anxieties. Whilst in our media of hyper-sexualisation the male body is now becoming an object of scorn and ridicule if it fails to conform to some hybrid Greek-Hollywood image of perfection, it remains the female body which is most likely to be stripped down for ‘men’s viewing pleasure’ (and really I mean ‘the media’s concept of men’s viewing pleasure’). The female body is increasingly likely to be sexualised to the standards of a groomed porn star in non-pornographic mediums. Popular media’s relationship with women’s bodies is obsessive, verging on dysmorphic. Recently, Lena Dunham’s choice to frequently appear naked or topless in her acclaimed TV show Girls has caused heated debate. Howard Stern, an American radio personality, called Dunham “a little fat girl who looks like Jonah Hill and keeps taking her clothes off,” adding that “it kind of feels like a rape… I don’t want to see that”. Meanwhile, Linda Stasi of The New York Post dismissed Dunham as a “pathological exhibitionist”. If solely criticising the need to bare all on national television, such arguments may hold, but often commentators are offended by Dunham’s body and its nonconformity with the Hollywood norm. Despite this, many critics have praised Dunham’s choices, not least because she is as likely to be seen topless in the bath with her friends as during a sex scene. Her nakedness then is not a statement of sexuality; it’s barely even a protest against the ubiquitous Hollywood stencil. It’s just kind of average. It is striking that while we’re happy to watch a 17-year-old strip on stage at a burlesque club then lose her virginity in the back of a limo (so begins the adored relationship of Chuck and Blair on Gossip Girl), the sight of a woman padding across her kitchen to the fridge in her greying knickers is shocking. Which is more likely to happen in real life?

a medical sense; you can be healthy whatever your shape. The idea that you can be a ‘healthy shape’ ignores the fact that you inherit your shape from your parents and there’s not a lot you can do about it. No amount of dieting or exercise will miraculously shrink your pelvis. Equally, telling a naturally skinny girl she needs to eat more is as offensive as telling a woman with big hips to lose weight. Clearly it will take a long time to shift attitudes towards the female figure in the twenty-first century. At worst, the obsession over how women look is similar to extremist attitudes towards abortion or apologist attitudes to rape: a woman’s body is not her own, it’s public property. At best, the pervasiveness of the ‘perfect’ Hollywood silhouette is stultifying for the common consumer. Appreciating the body, male or female, sexually or artistically, is a part of our nature and a positive one at that. If the media focussed less on women’s appearance and more on their achievements or intellect, it might go a long way to dispelling the inflexible fallacy of beauty and perfection and, in doing so, may quell the anxieties it causes on the opposite side of the magazine cover. Perhaps, instead of promoting a healthy body type, we should be promoting a healthy acceptance of human shape and form.

29th January 2013 15 www.studentnewspaper.org

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By Matt McDonald @young_mcdonald

his year already looks like a bad year for traditional retail, with three respected high street stores forced into administration in the first weeks of January. First went Jessops, the UK’s last major camera chain, which announced the closure of its 187 shops and online store on 11 January. HMV followed suit four days later, suspending all shares and bringing in the administrators. The very next day, the news came out that Blockbuster was also going under. Increased competition from online retailers, the quality of mobile phone cameras and the prevalence of online piracy have all been cited as key reasons for these organisations’ financial difficulties. The Guardian reported that last year only three per cent of singles were bought as a physical copy while downloads made up 97 per cent of purchases. Apart from the obvious impact on jobs – Jessops alone employed almost 1,400 staff – the closing of such recognisable brands raises questions about the future of British retail. With Jessops gone and HMV at risk of fol-

lowing them out, we are in danger of being left with a retail environment lacking any large camera or music chains. Maria, ECA graduate and until last week, employee of Jessops, told The Student that, “The closure of independent camera chains leaves a vacuum between the camera manufacturers and the consumer. Whereas before, shoppers tried out cameras in third party stores before going online to make a purchase, manufacturers now have to try to find ways to fill this new void.” She noted that, “Leica and Canon have already started making their own outlets, like Canon’s Experience Centre in Canada, in which customers can have first hand experience with their products.” This raises an important point. Despite all the pessimism and nostalgia surrounding the closure of these long running high street institutions, an irreversible shift from traditional methods of consuming could have a positive effect by forcing businesses to modernise their methods of reaching the customer. Maybe the ‘death of the British high street’ will not be such a bad thing for the British high street. Danielle, a student of Napi-

Photo: Garry Knight

The death of the high street?

er University, echoed the feelings of many consumers when she told The Student, “It’s sad. I like to browse through shops and sometimes come across wee gems that I wouldn’t have found online.” HMV’s decline is mourned not only for nostalgic reasons but also because online retailers cannot entirely fill the void left by the high street shop. If HMV is forced to close its UK stores, this could result in a boom for independent record stores as con-

Photo: SweetOnVeg

Too keen for Quinoa

By Rona Broadhead

s you’ll surely be aware, 2013 has been declared the ‘International Year of Quinoa’ by the UN in recognition of the crop’s high nutritional qualities and potential to help combat global hunger. You

may not have marked the first of January with a bowl of hot quinoa but you probably have heard of or tasted this increasingly popular ‘superfood’. Like couscous and bulgar wheat, quinoa has spread from niche health food shops to the shelves of national supermarkets in recent years. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa

for the more culinarily challenged amongst us) is a ‘pseudograin’, holding a special place among its shelfmates for its particularly nutritious properties. High protein, low-fat and gluten-free, it ticks all the right boxes. NASA feeds it to astronauts on long term missions and found in a 1993 study that, “While no single food can supply all the essential life sustaining nutrients, quinoa comes as close as any other in the plant or animal kingdom.” Originally domesticated in the Andean region of South America and declared sacred by the Incas, quinoa has long been a staple food in countries such as Bolivia and Peru. It is only recently that it has been grown as an export crop, yet since 2006 it has tripled in price due to its increasing popularity in Europe, the US, China and Japan. While this has been good news for quinoa farmers, whose income and living conditions have significantly improved, increasing prices have made the crop too expensive for

sumers are left with no alternative in which to browse. Jon Tolley, owner of independent music store Banquet Records in Kingston, offered all customers with HMV vouchers a 50 per cent discount in his shop, capitalising on HMV’s refusal to accept or refund the vouchers. To survive through 2013 and beyond, it is clear that high street businesses must look for ways to provide services that are not available online. Clothes shops, for example, seem set

to remain strong, with online retailers such as ASOS unable to provide their customers with a fitting room or the leisure involved in browsing a store in person. This will no doubt be a challenging year for traditional retail but with surviving high street stores desperate to keep the shopper shopping, it could be an interesting year for the consumer. The high street is dead. Long live the high street.

many Bolivians and Peruvians to eat for themselves. A recent report from Lima noted that quinoa now costs more than chicken and four times as much as rice: it has become a luxury product that only the middle classes can afford. In Bolivia, consumption of quinoa has fallen by 34 per cent over five years. Moreover, a growing preference for processed foods, particularly among younger generations, is further exacerbated by the fact that they have become much cheaper than the traditional staple of quinoa. This shift is particularly worrying given that malnutrition is a long running problem in this region. In 2011, 27 per cent of children under the age of 13 months were recorded as suffering from malnutrition in Bolivia. Last year the New York Times reported that emerging studies show that chronic malnutrition among children had risen in quinoa-growing areas of Bolivia. Aware of this issue, the government has started making efforts

to increase domestic consumption of quinoa by including it in school meals and food packages supplied to pregnant and nursing mothers. The ‘quinoa problem’ highlights complex issues in our globalised food production system and the importance of balancing the economic gain that comes from exporting crops with achieving domestic food security. It demonstrates how changing consumption patterns in the west can have consequences on producer countries and the inequalities which exist between the developing and developed world. In light of these issues, it is hard not to view the UN’s focus on quinoa in 2013 and description of it as a “food for health and food security, for present and future generations”, with some cynicism and irony. Hopefully, marking the ‘International Year of Quinoa’ will provoke discussion about the international trade and consumption of this crop and more generally encourage debate about global food security and equality.

29th January 2013 16 www.studentnewspaper.org

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The changing rules of the dating game

just got asked out on a pre-date. “A date?” I replied excitedly to the Facebook message, wondering what my wedding dress might look like. “No, a pre-date. To see if I actually want to date you or not.” Reader, I did not date him. Or pre-date him. As if dating wasn’t complicated enough, he goes and creates a whole new dimension to this already stressful affair. Is Thursday now to be known as predate night? Do I meet him at a restaurant, sit down briefly at a table and say, “This could be us,” before exiting through the kitchen? The whole incident did, however, get me thinking about how complex this whole business of dating has become. Like the practice of sex, gone are the days when a clear, straightforward structure was in place: dinner and a peck on the cheek on the first date, a movie and a goodnight kiss on the second and then drinks and S&M on the third. Simples. There was a time when a girl could lay off shaving her legs for 72 hours; now even a casual coffee requires a waxing appointment. Another universal mind bender for all those dating is the issue of exclusivity. You’re not exclusive until confirmed by a relationship status update on Facebook. If this isn’t understood fully by both parties, you may find yourself in a hotel in Paris, with your fiance saying as he lovingly strokes your face, “Guess it’s time to stop shagging other people then, eh?” In the past, simply going on a date was quite sufficient to establish relationship status. Today a girl can’t seem to sit down for a meal with a man knowing for sure that he hasn’t had the filet mignon with several different girls every night for the past four weeks. To my horror, my flatmate recently informed me that I’ve probably already met my husband. Not that I don’t love my male friends, but I’ve been present at too many of their ‘butt belch’ competitions to consider copulating with any one of them. This leaves me no choice but to be part of this complex and confusing world of dating. Anonymous

Restless relaxation By Alice Hunter Johnston

have just endured five torturous hours of a London law firm assessment and am feeling disappointed, drained and desperate. “Just relax,” people keep telling me. But how does one actually relax? “Go out and have fun tonight,” is the answer I receive. Ah, but that is something else entirely. Although it is four o’clock in the afternoon, I could justify pouring myself a huge gin and tonic, taking a long drag on a much-needed cigarette, and painting the town red. Isn’t that what we all long for as we gaze out of the library windows onto the Meadows below? A night out is well deserved after depressing days staring at a computer screen with suppers consisting entirely of chocolate from the vending machines. Yet it is not fun that I need right now. I am grappling for ideas on how to stop obsessing over the errors I made today. I constantly re-enact the scenes in my head and improve my answers. But now I want to switch off entirely and I don’t have the faintest idea how to do it. There is always something we should be doing, looming over us and preventing us from enjoying what we could be doing. If our brains cannot focus a second longer on dissertation

writing, then there are our readings or interminable job applications to do. As a remedy to our guilt, we compromise on what form our relaxation takes. Memrise.com or sporcle.com provide hours of addictive frustration with their tests on subjects ranging from the semi-trivial ‘Capitals of the World’ to the seriously frivolous ‘Harry Potter 200 Characters’. “At least we are doing something useful,” think those who favour such websites. Well, if it makes you feel better to reason that way, go for it. Spend an hour reading the news or a hearty book. Go for a long run or play football with some mates. Scrub the kitchen floor, cook a complex nutritious supper and have a bubbly bath. When the guilt is really bad, you can even combine these activities. I recently read a fictional book purely because it related (obscurely!) to my dissertation. I watch the news while at the gym. If I do switch to the music channels, I reassure myself of the importance of pop culture. I question therefore if I am relaxed as a result, or just less stressed than I was before. The guilt theory seems to break down when it comes to getting my television fix. With a schedule for relaxation, I again question how successful it is. Even friends who meditate do it for a fixed period of an hour. Would we even enjoy interminable meditation, baths or baking? All these methods of

Illustration: Peony Gent

STUDENT SEXPOSÉ

relaxation are effective to a certain extent, but the fact remains that students’ brains cannot fully switch off. After my intense morning, I allow myself one of my reward shows, Pramface, accom-

panied by chocolate minstrels. But the stress has reached such a level that I cannot restrict it to my scheduled ‘total indulgence’ slot. I’ll have to give the gin and tonic a try after all.

January detox: Tips for healthy living By Chloe Ride

anuary: the month of new beginnings. I’m sure a lot of you have made resolutions to eat more healthily, lose weight, or to be more economical with your food. Some of you might have even opted for the full-on detox, though many of you have probably already given up. I’m still surprisingly on track, mainly in preparation for my graduation this summer, but also to get rid of my Christmas waistline. I seriously over-indulged, and after having Ferrero Rochers surgically removed from my grip, I took a long hard look at myself. It is constantly tempting to go back to my old ways, but staying mentally focused is important. Here are my top ten tips on how to do so: 1. Set yourself realistic goals each

week. Try to be reasonable; you should be looking for a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Avoid fad diets and opt for adopting healthier habits. 2. Count calories. It sounds boring, but it really is the best way to see what you’re putting into your body. By reducing your overall calorie intake, you’ll be well on your way to losing last year’s pounds. 3. Consider weighing your food. This helps with your calorie count and sticking to reasonable serving sizes. I like to divide meat and fish into appropriate portions before freezing, so I can control my intake easily later on. It’s also helpful to do this with snacks or cereals, so that you avoid that guilty feeling when you unexpectedly hit the bottom of the packet! 4. Stop eating as soon as you feel full. If it’s difficult for you to gauge this, you’re eating too fast. Slow down

and pause to drink a glass of water with your meal. 5. Always be prepared. Carry portioned snacks with you at all times. You’ll be less likely to break your diet and reach for the closest calorie-laden chocolate bar when you need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. 6. Don’t let your friends make you lose focus. If your flatmates are ordering pizza, it can be hard to resist, but remember the goals you’ve set yourself. Never forget that you are ultimately in control of what you put into your body. It is your choice, not theirs. 7. Exercise is absolutely crucial. The weight loss equation is simple: you need to burn more calories than you put into your body. A simple, light walk or jog is better than nothing. There are thousands of apps and websites like mapmyrun.com and My

Fitness Pal that can help you create fitness goals. 8. Make exercise fun. Suggest going for a Sunday walk up Arthur’s Seat, meet in the living room for some situps, or go to a class at the gym together. My flatmate is currently training for a marathon and is a great inspiration; she also sits on my feet while I do sit ups. I love and hate her. 9. If you fall off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up. Start fresh the next day. 10. Don’t bore yourself into quitting. You can also download apps such as Zombies, Run! that will make you sweat as you try to escape a swarm of zombies. Instead of going to the supermarket, go to your local greengrocer and learn about your local produce. Try using some new cooking techniques to keep your meals interesting. http://thecitygirlskitchen.wordpress.com

29th January 2013 17 www.studentnewspaper.org

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Treasuring the past INTERNET ADDICT A F Is networking online taking over our lives?

ddress to all students, vintage lovers and bargain hunters: if you’ve not heard of Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair before, then please take note. First step into the fair and it feels like you’ve been taken back in time. Nostalgia oozes through the air with floral print buntings hovering from the ceiling and the sound of 1960s jazz music playing in the background. The fair successfully manages to create an atmospheric and stylish experience, whilst shoppers work their way through rails full of unique vintage one-off pieces, in a bid to find themselves a bargain. Traders from all over the UK gather for the day to display their collection of vintage stock at Edinburgh HMV Picturehouse. One of the traders, Chris Green, told me, “I’ve been working with Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair for over three years now, travelling the country and going to about 30 fairs a year, Edinburgh never fails to produce an excellent turnout of people.” Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair stays true to its word, with a wide selection of timeless vintage clothes at affordable prices. Bargain deals were signposted at the end of almost every rail, encouraging shoppers to rummage and delve through the rails to get a good bargain.

Photo:Madeline Wensel

By Lucy Dang

The fair offers a collection of rare garments from different eras, from sequin flapper dresses from the 1920s to floral, to brightly coloured, tie-dye T-shirts from the 1980s. The classic Levi’s denim shorts were a popular hit at the fair, which by now, should be a staple piece in every girl’s wardrobe as the fair displayed two full rails in various shades of blue, grey and black at the reasonable price of £15. But the denim didn’t stop there. The fair offered a range of men’s den-

im jackets, some of them having been reworked with bleaching effects and metallic studded shoulders, making them on trend and a big hit amongst the female shoppers. On display was an array of leather jackets in fairly good conditions in the styles of biker and bomber, both of which are set to be major trends for spring 2013, at the affordable price of £30. A good quality vintage leather jacket is truly worth investing in as it

will last forever. Adding just that little bit of leather will make any outfit look effortlessly cool. As well as clothes and accessories, homemade soaps, delicate ornaments and dainty cutlery sets were on offer. If you’re looking for unique pieces for your wardrobe that can’t be found at your average high street stores, this fair is your answer. With everything at affordable prices, there is no need to break the bank.

Slut shaming: the abusive new trend By Sara Emara

nline bullying has been around ever since the internet came into existence. But before smart phones, Facebook and Twitter, it was only present in online forums. With the rise of the social networking sites, a whole new form of online bullying has evolved. A new, more direct form of online abuse has been sweeping the internet, aimed mostly at teenage girls, labelled ‘slut shaming’. The purpose of slut shaming is to expose and mock young women for how they dress, usually targeting girls who wear tight, revealing clothing and too much makeup. The growing number of girls posting compromising pictures of themselves online has prompted this new form of abuse. Groups and fan pages have been cre-

ated on social networking sites such as Facebook and Tumblr which openly embrace this new form of online abuse. Often, a photo of the target in a particularly skimpy outfit is posted publicly, allowing other online users to name and shame them. This phenomenon is fuelled by pages such as the “Hey girl, did you know that…’’ Facebook page, which features pictures of girls with the caption, “Hey girl, did you know that…” followed by ‘witty’ remarks such as “your boobs go inside your shirt”, or “you spread Nutella, not your legs”. These pages have generated thousands of fans and numerous malicious comments aimed at humiliating and degrading the girls shown in the photos. The most frightening thing about this is that it is most often girls themselves who have created these pages with the intention of insulting other

girls. The number of pictures posted on these websites is growing extremely rapidly as people relentlessly submit photos of people they may dislike for reasons as shallow as their physical appearance. It is even likely that many have never even met the person they are posting a photo of in real life. Accompanying the photos are hundreds, or even thousands of comments mercilessly mocking the girl in question, with the majority of comments written by total strangers. Even more shocking is the fact that many of the girls appearing on these pages appear to be as young as 13 and 14; barely old enough to even have a Facebook account. We all know how quickly a photo or video can go viral online – it may only take a matter of minutes for a picture to generate enough attention for it to appear on numerous news feeds for others to see.

But what can we do to stop this kind of thing happening? Well, the unfortunate answer is nothing that we haven’t already tried. Facebook continually attempts to shut down pages dedicated to this type of cyber-abuse, but new ones are being created daily. Girls should consider amending their privacy settings on Facebook and all other social networking sites they are a part of, so that only their friends can access their profile and its content. Or, if it is these ‘friends’ who are in fact the ones posting photos on these abuse pages, perhaps consider only having close friends and family on Facebook. Many people have hundreds of connections on Facebook, many of whom they may have never even met. Perhaps by deleting people you are not in strong contact with will prevent putting your pictures at risk of Internet abuse.

acebook has been around ever since Bebo and MSN became so uncool it wasn’t even funny. Currently I have 898 photos and 469 ‘friends’. Half of these ‘friends’ are merely acquaintances who I have met once, maybe twice. But there they are on my screen, declaring themselves as one of my many, many friends. Facebook now has over 500 million users, with 28 per cent of people in my age group checking the website before they even get out of bed. Now that really is impressive. And Twitter is coming along swimmingly as well, with 383 million accounts created to date. So where has all this come from? And what is the obsession with it? These are just some of the questions that my frustrated dad asks as I continue to ignore him and stare at my screen. He doesn’t get it, he doesn’t understand me, he doesn’t know what he’s missing out on. It seems like Facebook and Twitter have turned into some sort of teen crush. The interesting situation arose when I lost my shiny phone and I was stuck with my old Nokia 3410, which struggled to send texts, let alone check emails. It did however, have my all time favourite game, Snake 2 on it. I found myself yelling at the squiggly black line as I frantically tried to avoid eating myself. It felt just as satisfying beating my high score as it did ‘liking’ statuses. Of course when I eventually managed to get a replacement, Snake 2 was out the window and back to my old routine I went. When I told my dad this, he looked confused. If it was so time consuming, why don’t I just stop using it so much? It’s not that easy. Whenever the exam diet rolls up, I can guarantee that at least two people I know will post the status ‘“Right guys, I’m deleting my Facebook” then two days later they’ve liked a photo from the night before. The truth is, without constant contact, people feel out of touch. This is the power of the social networking machine and yes, it is very scary, but I bet that after you finish reading this, you’ll just have a quick glance at that newsfeed. Nikki Cunningham

Leaving a leafy legacy By Clarinda Burrell

he naked beauty of black branches against snow in slanting, cold sunlight; cherry blossom drifting through lazy, hazy summer days; tangled, steaming expanses of rainforest. Trees are incredibly evocative for human beings, intrinsically important to our emotional well being. They also provide us with countless other products and benefits, literally hold the landscape together with their roots, support an incredible array of biodiversity and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Yet they are disappearing fast. This is something that Dr Iain Woodhouse, a researcher in the Geosciences department at the University of Edinburgh, knows only too well. His work involves using airborne and satellite imaging of forests in order to better understand their composition,

and so inform decisions about their conservation. These images, created using his iPad, are the result of discussions with local artists during a research project in Malawi. He explained to The Student why he created the images and the effect he wished them to have.

“

You suddenly realise how we have normalised landscapes without trees so that we no longer notice that they have gone”

- Dr Iain Woodhouse

“They primarily came about as an attempt to convey the loss of trees. Deforestation is a serious global problem in terms of loss of biodiversity and their capacity to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but it can also be a pressing local issue as well. In the UK, for instance, trees help mit-

MARINE BIOLOGY CENTRE STRUGGLES TO SURVIVE

utrage from the scientific community has ensued following the dismissal of a 10,000

igate against flooding by slowing the flow of rainfall through a landscape. Or, in countries like Malawi, trees are important for food, for woodfuel, for shade, as well as flood mitigation.” Alice Ladenburg, artist for the current Malawi project, was involved in discussing with local artists ways to convey the importance of stopping deforestation. Dr Woodhouse talked of how issues raised here influenced him. “One of the discussion points that often came up was the challenge of representing ‘loss’. How do you provoke people into thinking about the absence of something? How do you get people to think about deforestation by representing the loss of trees?” About the reactions of people viewing the ‘before and after’ pictures, he said, “I like to show the ‘without’ pictures first, because when they see the original ... you suddenly realise how we have ‘normalised’ landscapes without trees so that we no longer no-

tice that they have gone. And that is the real danger – that we lose the forests of the world and don’t even notice it happening.” Here in Scotland, the great swathes of forest that spread across the country after the last ice age are long gone. Our remaining forests and woodlands are patchy: currently only 15 per cent of Scotland is taken up by woodland, and none remain as fully natural landscapes unchanged by humans. As well as deforestation to make way for more construction, our remaining trees also face the threat of diseases introduced through the international movement of people and plants. The latest of these is ash dieback, caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea, and thought to have been introduced through imported nursery stock. The fungus is spread by the wind as airborne spores, unlike the fungus responsible for the infamous Dutch elm disease that is spread by

beetles, making the ash dieback fungus even harder to control. Hopefully this is not the beginning of the end for the 80 million ash trees in the UK, and effective means to control the spread of the deadly fungus will be found. Forests and woodlands are a vital legacy to leave for future generations, and there are ways that we can enrich this legacy. The Forestry Commission of Scotland has plans such as expanding woodlands, reducing grazing in some areas to let young saplings grow through and creating wildlife corridors of trees along roads and rivers between wooded areas to link them together. There are many issues to be considered in increasing tree cover, but letting more trees disappear from our landscape is surely a poor option. After all, in the words of the great British landscape designer Russell Page: “To plant trees is to give body and life to one’s dreams of a better world.”

ing from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

versity of London).” Local MSP, Margaret McDougall, was shocked that the Cabinet Secretary dismissed the issue, saying “We all understand that the University of London are the owners of this station, and quite rightly the local outrage should be highlighted to them. However, Scottish universities have a stake in this too, so to pass this petition off without due consideration doesn’t seem right to me, and it certainly doesn’t look like the SNP are taking this issue seriously or giving it the respect it deserves.” The centre gives a vital contribution to the field of British marine science, students visiting not only from Edinburgh and other Scottish universities, but also schools and universities all over Europe. Jennifer Hoxton, a

Marine Biology PhD student at Heriot-Watt University, commented “If you look among the marine biologists living in the UK now, you’d be hard pushed to find any of them that haven’t passed through or had some connection with Millport in some way. To lose something like that would be losing a big source of training and inspiration for students.” It also supplies material and specimens to 60 laboratories and universities all over the UK, as well as hosting research programs on marine fisheries, biodiversity, marine fouling and marine microbiology. Closing the UMBS will also affect the economy of the small Isle of Cumbrae, as many of the local businesses depend on the visiting biology students for their income.

“

The centre gives a vital contribution to the field of British marine biology”

Change.org

By Nina Seale @hirundonovus

strong petition campaigning to save the University Marine Biology Station (UMBS), Millport, from closure. The marine biology centre, the only one of its kind in the UK, is expected to close before the end of the year following the withdrawal of £400,000 annual fund-

Georges-Pierre Seurat/Dr Iain Woodhouse/Alice Ladenburg

29th January 2013 18 www.studentnewspaper.org

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On Thursday 17 January, representatives of the UMBS met with Cabinet secretary Michael Russell, who decided to transfer the issue to the owners of the station, the University of London. He told STV News, “The community come first in my consideration, and they do with the local MSP. The Marine Science elements need to be considered properly. We’ll work very hard on this but, alas, it is a problem that has been long in the making because of lack of investment from the owners of the property (that is, the Uni-

29th January 2013 19 www.studentnewspaper.org

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Tweet your temptations By Ada Kozlowska

he great year of 2013 has commenced and it is officially time to announce your New Year’s resolutions. The most popular of declarations, and the one that usually goes out of the window before the end of January 1, is losing weight. For those who decide to persevere after New Year’s Day but do not have the willpower to do it by themselves, a new gadget might come in handy: a tweeting robotic chicken.

“

The chicken is an invention of the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester and it works thanks to Raspberry Pi, a computer the size of a credit card. An add-on known as PiFace transforms the chicken into the snack police. It shouts out commands if you try to get a snack from a

Illustration: Jessica Kettle

It shouts out commands if you try to get a snack from a cupboard, and if that doesn’t work, it will tweet about it”

cupboard, and if that doesn’t work, it will tweet about it. On your Twitter. So everyone will know that you snacked. The idea is an ingenious utilization of people’s weakness: fear of public shaming motivates us to follow the orders of

an automatic chicken. Another situation that has inspired extremely creative thinking is waking up. The market is full of innovative solutions, which only proves that we have become more and more

resistant to the activity of regular alarm clocks. One of the new designs is Clocky – it rolls off your bedside table and hides, beeping continuously until you get out of bed and find it. Similarly, Blowfly uses a propeller to fly across the room, forcing you out of your bed. Alternatively, a dumbbell alarm clock will not turn off until you have done 30 bicep curls. If you consider yourself more of the Clint Eastwood type, try the Laser Target: it shuts off when you hit the bull’s-eye. For really heavy sleepers, Sonic Boom may be the answer. Not only does it have a 113-decibel alarm and a bright red light, it is also connected to a bed-shaker. Finally, if an earthquake still doesn’t wake you up, financial incentives might force you out of bed. SnuzNLuz seems to be designed especially for students with limited funds. It may look like a usual electronic alarm clock, but it connects through wi-fi to your bank account and donates a specific amount to a charitable organisation every time you hit snooze. One snooze is priced $10 or more, so get up or go broke. Whilst these inventions target our weaknesses to help us overcome our laziness, PenScanner does the complete

opposite. It scans chosen fragments of printed text straight to your computer, allowing quicker note-taking from many sources. It is portable and compatible with both PC and Mac. It recognises 128 languages and a selection of alphabets (including Western, Greek, Cyrillic and a few Asian alphabets). Although you might find yourself taking some pointless notes, you will definitely do it like a boss.

“

Clocky – it rolls off your bedside table and hides, beeping continuously until you get out of bed and find it” The combination of technology and psychology can lead to the creation of cool and useful gadgets, but that is not the main purpose of Raspberry Pi. Its inventors hope that its simplicity of use and assembly will encourage schools to include it in their curriculum and, in effect, promote computer science among young people. Raspberry Pi is an example of a straight-forward invention that has enormous potential for development.

Scientists confess all, one tweet at a time By Kristina Simonaityte @kristinasimona

hink science is dull, asocial and complicated? Well, that can be the case. But in the past couple of weeks, with the help of Twitter and some brilliant trending hashtags, the public has been seeing a less serious and more relatable side of science. The hilarious hashtag #overlyhonestmethods has encouraged scientists to share how research is ‘really’ done behind the closed lab doors. While meant to be humorous (for example: “the eppendorf tubes were ‘shaken like a polaroid picture’ until that part of the song ended”, tweets @ sciliz), these admissions also revealed how frustrating, messy and demanding science can sometimes be. And that lowly graduates get blamed for everything. Anyone who has ever worked in the lab or in the field knows that there is more truth in these not-so-scientific methods than any researcher would honestly admit. Sometimes, for in-

stance, parts of the rainforest are just too remote to access and that is why they weren’t sampled. Or, incubating the solution for five or 25 minutes really depends on whether the researcher took a bathroom break or a coffee break. We shouldn’t be too worried though: scienctific history is full of examples of great discoveries made when someone messed something up. More worrisome, however, were tongue-in-cheek tweets hinting at professors who were stuck in grant application processes and never doing actual science and the recurring theme of lack of funding, buttering up to possible reviewers and failure to read relevant articles due to expensive subscription fees. Specifically addressing the latter problem, #pdftribute was initiated in honour of Aaron Swartz, a well-known Internet figure persecuted by the government for his online activism, who committed suicide on 11 January. Still going strong, #pdftribute urges researchers to move towards open access and make their publications available to everyone. Some are concerned that this

frenzy of confessional tweets might hurt science’s trustworthy reputation for rigorously adhering to the scientific method and objectivity. However, as #overlyhonestmethods went viral, more and more non-scientists followed the conversation, learning that science can be fun and scientists can have a sense of humour. Another great example of this is #upgoerfive, challenging scientists to explain their research using only the 1,000 most common English words. This is much harder than it sounds and can sometimes be even more difficult to understand, but it engages both scientists and the public to think about science in new and more interesting ways. The hashtag has turned into an effective science communication tool. These examples show that Twitter could be an important platform for the scientific community to voice their concerns and also make science more visible and accessible. Sombre or humorous, these online movements are changing science in simple but effective 140-character steps.

t #overlyhonestmethods

#pdftribute

@DrTwittenheimer: A modified pro-

@fr3dly: O’Reilly Media is making

tocol was implemented because a certain

Open Government free to all to access in

graduate student seems unable to follow

honor of Aaron.

simple instructions. @lvanhoof: Incubation lasted three days because this is how long the under-

@evavivalt: In tribute to @aaronsw, I’ll put all pdfs collected for research online. I encourage you to do the same.

grad forgot the experiment in the fridge. @OverlyHonesty: I used students as subjects because rats are expensive and

#upgoerfive

you get too attached to them. @The_Shed: After the biological sam-

@peterbloxsom: Ages ago the world

ple was dropped on the floor, the 3 second

was hot, with no ice at the top. I use dead

rule was applied.

animals to see if water changed direction

@RiversNinety: Data points 2 and 13

as the world got cold.

were deleted because they were ruining

@PBarmby: I study big groups of stars

what would otherwise have been a pretty

near to our star-group, tiny stuff inside the

straight line.

big groups and small star-balls near the big

@christopherdavy: Samples were left

groups.

until I stopped talking to the lads about

@planet4589: Big flying trains that

football and realised I was meant to be do-

fire comes out of puts things in space. Then

ing an experiment.

I write about it on the computer so that

@ejwillingham: Ethanol was used as the solvent because that’s what we were drinking at the time.

everyone knows. @dirt_rip: How very small rocks go from the tallest places to the big water.

29th January 2013 20 www.studentnewspaper.org

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“

One is distracted also by the fog of political buzzwords like “greener”, “cleaner” and “brighter future”, which obscure any meaning that may lie beneath”

Firstly, what do Salmond and his government really mean when they say “100 per cent by 2020”? A woolly outline can be gathered from the 2020 Re-

100 PER CENT RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2020? Phoebe Hopper picks apart the government’s energy targets

Erikogan

lex Salmond has made some bold statements in his time as First Minister. They are mostly about Scottish independence, for example denouncing the entirety of Scotland’s union to England as “subordination”, or, more topically, his misleading untruths about an independent Scotland’s automatic EU membership. However, they also cross over into other areas of Scottish development such as the transport sector: all in Edinburgh are familiar with the tram fiasco, and any others native to the Scottish Borders may remember his false promises for the Borders Railway Project. So, upon hearing his government’s stated plan to power Scotland by 100 per cent renewable sources by 2020, I don’t think my scepticism was ill-founded. But, to my inner tree-hugger, the suggestion that the fossil fuel-free dream may actually be attainable came as a purity pledge from Salmond which offered too much hope of future satisfaction to be simply disregarded. So I decided to get the facts for myself to see if this power plan is really feasible or if Salmond is, once again, all mouth and no trousers.

newable Routemap for Scotland, published by the Scottish Government last year. Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, writes in the ministerial foreword that the target is to “meet the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020”. The formal target is, however, 50 per cent by 2015, to be succeeded by 100 per cent five years later. These targets are estimated projections of how much electricity could be generated from renewables if current operational capacity is continued and if capacity which is currently under construction or has consent to be built will be operational by 2015. It is estimated that 35 per cent

of gross energy consumed in Scotland in 2011 was produced by renewables, of which nearly half was generated by wind power, hydro made over a third, and the remaining tenth or so constituted the efforts of biofuels, landfill gas, sewage gas and solar PV. Ewing predicted that the majority of the 2020 target will “still be met by hydro and onshore wind”. The Renewable Routemap vaguely outlines some plans intended for development in each field of energy production but real data is lacking, making the projections in the report hard to accept. One is distracted also by the fog of political buzzwords like “greener”, “cleaner” and “brighter future”, which obscure any meaning that may lie beneath. The opacity of govern-

ment publications is one problem with trying to get to the truth of their energy strategies; the often hysterical reactions of the media are another. Despite all this political confusion, I still find the proposal by the Scottish Government to use purely renewable power hugely encouraging because, even if it is not feasible with the renewable technologies currently available, it may push for research into how it can be made possible; the imminent deadline will create an incentive to start thinking laterally sooner and to innovate faster. Renewable energy technology is advancing and changing all the time, as are all industries which are progressing today. With creative thinking and bold intentionality, economy and industry

could be moulded to run from alternative energy sources. Maybe it isn’t possible to power Europe with the current renewable power infrastructure, and maybe it won’t be possible to preserve our exact lifestyles if we don’t use fossil fuels, but that doesn’t mean we can’t survive and prosper. So, whether Alex Salmond intends to follow through on this proposal or whether it’s just another hollow election promise, I’d like to think that it encourages serious consideration of the reality of switching to renewable power sources in the wider populous, which can only be constructive. It must also to some extent reflect the desire of the people to move away from fossil fuels, which is definitely encouraging.

Should we switch to farming fish on land? By Felix Wiesner

uring the last decade it has become general consensus that fish is an important part of a healthy diet, supplying valuable proteins and the almighty Omega 3. Sounds good, right? Not if you are a fish. In just a few decades we have managed to exhaust a supply that was some time ago considered to be inexhaustible. The oceans and seas that were once bursting with fish are now getting emptier with more species reaching critical population levels close to the point of no return. When the idea arose to farm fish just as we farm many land animals, it was theorised that wild fish populations would be protected, while at the same time catering to the rising demand of fish on the global market.

Nowadays about 50 per cent of consumed fish comes from farms and fish farming is still expanding at great rates. Scottish salmon is a high demand export product so the industry is already important for many coastal communities. The problem is that most conventional salmon farms are not environmentally sustainable. Salmon farms usually operate by placing cages into bays and in these cages vast amounts of fish can be farmed. However like many other seemingly easy solutions there are quite a few shortfalls in terms of sustainability. Like most other fish species, salmon are carnivores. This means that for many fish farms, more wild fish is used to feed the farm fish which in the end has a detrimental net effect on wild fish populations. A huge problem is the limited

space in fish farms. Like farm stock, the fish are farmed in high densities, making them prone to injuries and infections, and their close proximity to each other leads to aggression, stress and death. Parasites called sea lice are one of the biggest issues that salmon farms face and the usually adopted solution is to administer antibiotics on a large scale. The over-use of antibiotics should be a big concern for all of us and the meat and fish industry in general has a large responsibility for this problem. The intense farming of fish means that waste products and antibiotics are concentrated on a small space and often this creates toxic environments so when the farms move on they leave behind an environmentally damaged water resource. In an attempt to resolve these

problems, plans have emerged to build the world’s largest onshore salmon farm in a warehouse at Tayinloan, Scotland with a planned capacity of 3000 tonnes of salmon per year. Farming fish in closed containment systems on land is not a new idea and is already used in other countries. It offers some advantages over fish farms in the wild. The conditions can be better controlled and the farm is mainly isolated from aquatic ecosystems which means that many of the problems mentioned above can be avoided. The damage from sea lice is minimized and therefore fewer antibiotics and other chemicals are necessary. The waste can be contained and therefore natural ecosystems can be spared. However the space for the fish is even more limited than in offshore

farms and this means the fish are farmed under what many would call cruel conditions. In addition, the economic viability of onshore farms compared to offshore farms is yet to be proven, as energy needs and costs are projected to be higher than for offshore salmon farming. Like many other projects the environmental impact and feasibility depend on the details. The new farm in Scotland will use mostly renewable energy and convert waste products into fertilizer. Also the prospective owners have pledged to feed the farm fish a diet of rag worms and algae to reduce the impact on wild fish populations. Obviously there is no solution that will satisfy every interest group but the demand for fish will only increase and so ingenuity is required in order to overcome present and future problems.

29th January 2013 21 www.studentnewspaper.org

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opportunity to publicise the fact that Scotland and China have a healthy and growing relationship in his run-up to pushing for an independent Scotland. This hard-hitting meeting with the hunting-loving Duke of Edinburgh, who is a president of the World

Many South African rhinos have been dehorned to deter poachers

Wildlife Fund, may cause some international tensions between the Chinese and the United Kingdom and possibly jeopardise Salmond’s plans. Although the Duke feels that the meeting will boost Britain and China’s diplomatic relations, lately these relations seem strained due to the royal family’s continued interaction with the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet and an open critic of the Chinese regime. There are also still tensions from the hand-over of Hong Kong in 1997 when the Prince of Wales described the Chinese leaders as “appalling old waxworks” in a diary entry, which was leaked in 2005. This is among other overheard and leaked potentially offensive comments from the Duke. The Duke sees the need for this meeting now due to the increased surge in the use of traditional Chinese medicines around the world as people become more aware of global alternative medicines. This increase in publicity is helped by Asian officials and celebrities openly claiming that rhino horn cured their cancer. With the Asian economic boom people now have more disposable income, which they can spend on these expensive medicines. The objective of this meeting is not to ban traditional medicines but to halt the incorrect use of them and to deal with the illegal wildlife trade as a source for them. There is no medical basis behind the use of rhino horn or tiger bone, the sale of which exploits vulnerable people out of thousands of yuan, and which means possible extinction for these endangered species.

By Ada Kozlowska

J-P.Rodriguez/G.Biffi

n Wednesday 20 February the 91-year-old Duke of Edinburgh will be hosting a meeting of officials from China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs and The Alliance of Religions and Conservation – a group he formed himself in 1995 – at Buckingham Palace, to tackle what he calls the “corruption’’ in traditional Chinese medicines. At the meeting there will also be representatives from the Daoist faith, a Chinese religion that has already banned the use of endangered species in remedies amongst its followers and is supported by the Duke. The issue that will be considered by the meeting will be the use of endangered animals in certain traditional Chinese medicines. Examples are tigers and rhinos whose bones and horns are used in medicines such as aphrodisiacs and supposed cures for cancer, arthritis and hangovers. Many of these animals are caught through cruel and inhumane poaching methods, which cause extreme pain to the animal. This controversy will be a hard one to tackle as the illegal wildlife trade is worth an estimated £12 billion a year, so a ban may meet many objections along the way. At the beginning of the year, the South African government released its statistics saying that in the last year 668 rhinos were killed across the country. This is a 50 per cent increase on 2011.

As many will remember, just a little over a year ago Edinburgh Zoo received a ‘gift’ of two Giant Pandas from the Chinese (the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is paying around £640,000 a year for the gift of pandas). Alex Salmond used this supposed gift

Nina Seale

By Georgia Forsyth Sijpestijn

Quadruple DNA helix observed

uadruple DNA helices have been observed in human cancer cells for the first time. This phenomenon has been previously induced in a lab, but was considered unlikely to occur in nature. Professor Shankar Balasubramanian of the University of Cambridge identified the quadruplexes using antibodies that bind selectively to the four-stranded molecules. Those molecules were most abundant during the process of replication. If it can be confirmed that quadruple DNA cannot exist in healthy human cells, the identification of these quadruplexes could be used to detect tumour cells in cancer and may provide further insight into the mechanisms behind the disease.

Earthworms to be chemical engineers By Simon Zafrany @szafrany1

Britain’s orca pod beyond breeding? By Eleanor Drinkwater

ime is running short for Scotland’s only resident orca pod, as there have been no live calves for at least twenty years. The failure of this group of nine individuals to breed is thought to be due to the fact that the five females in the group are estimated to have passed breeding age, and are therefore unable to bear any more offspring. The inability of the group to breed may lead to the loss of some of the rarest residents of Scotland’s west coast. Recent research into the pod has uncovered another twist to their tale, as size and other physiological features have revealed that this local group, dubbed the west coast community, is

unlike any other in the North East Atlantic. The resident orcas can be up to two metres longer than other groups in the North East Atlantic, and tooth wear suggests very distinct feeding patterns. The other groups of orcas observed in British waters tend to only arrive in the summer as they follow the mackerel or herring glut, and take advantage of the abundance of seal pups at the time. However, these smaller temporary visitors are distinct from the local pod and do not interact with the resident orcas. It is thought that the resident Scottish orcas are actually from far further afield, with genetic analysis suggesting descent from Antarctic orcas which made the journey of thousands of miles to western Scotland, where they stayed. The pod has been sighted as far south as Wales, but tend to return to the Scottish

coast.

“

Despite the years of research, it is impressive how many secrets these animals still keep” The resident orcas are not only of interest due to their family relations, but also due to the innovative work of Scotland based marine scientists. John Cro is still perhaps the most famous orca of the resident pod. He was identified in 1980, and named ten years later, being one of the first subjects of a new form of photo identification. The photo identification relies on differences in dorsal fins, as well as the saddle shaped markings near the fin which allows simple identification of individual animals at a distance.

Despite the years of research, it is impressive how many secrets these animals still keep, even down to matters as simple as their diet. It is thought that that they have adapted to a diet of harbour porpoises and Minke whales, which is unlike the diet of most of the orcas which migrate through British waters, but even this is not known definitively. One thing scientists are quite sure about is the reproductive isolation of this small group of animals. The original movement of orcas from the Antarctic may have initially benefitted the group, but in the years to come the initial benefits may be outweighed by the sheer isolation and lack of viable opportunities to mate that this pod is facing may spell the end for the resident Scottish pod.

cientists at King’s College London have devised a plan to outsource some pricey chemical manufacturing to an unlikely source: earthworms. Mark Green, leader of the team at King’s, has uncovered a technique through which earthworms can produce quantum dots when fed cadmium contaminated soil. These microscopic dots are touted for their luminescent properties and have been used in everything from LCD technology to tracing cancer cells; however, the cost of producing microscopic dots has proved a major stumbling block. Green hopes his study proves that animals may ultimately serve as cost-effective factories for the coveted dots.

Jef Meul/Minden Pictures/FLPA

Chinese medicine “corruption”

29th January 2013 22 www.studentnewspaper.org

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By Alasdair Macleod

SHOULD GAMES BE A WALK IN THE PARK?

t the end of the hallway, a ghostly image appears in the mirror. My friend, realising that this is herself in some future time, approaches cautiously. The ghostly figure traces the inverted letters “PLEH

Photo: WotC

nally succumbs to damage, (usually through negligence) the game continues with barely a pause from the nearest safe area, disapprovingly telling you to dust yourself off and get back to it. In Far Cry, failure is something to be swept under the rug. Failure is something that interrupts you from its vision of fun. Failure is something to be ignored whenever possible. In Super Hexagon, failure is something that comes thick and fast and unavoidable. Any wrong move,

50 NIGHTS OF HORROR By Alasdair Macleod

Photo: STEAM & PCGAMER.com

etween all the travelling and visiting and celebrating this Christmas, I didn’t really find myself with a lot of time to sit in front of a computer, pressing buttons and watching the pretty lights. When I did, I found the games I played slotted neatly into one of two categories. On the one hand, we have the big budget, balls-to-the-walls blockbuster, Ubisoft’s Far Cry 3. Players take on the role of twenty-something holidaymaker Jason Brody, navigating a desert island paradise turned powder keg hellhole. On the other hand, we have the low-fi, psychedelic gauntlet that is Super Hexagon. Here, players take on the slightly untraditional role of a neon triangle navigating a pulsing, undulating maze of interlocking lines. Despite their vastly contrasting budgets, aims and themes, the biggest difference I kept finding in these titles was in their approaches to failure and success. Far Cry sees death as only the slightest of inconveniences. Not only can the player rejuvenate themselves instantly in the heat of battle with a practically limitless supply of medical syringes, even when these magical panaceas run out, they can keep on patching themselves up with a mysteriously endless supply of gauze and bandages. When the player does fi-

LLIW SIHT” from the other side of the pane, and reaches across time and space to impart a gift, a mysterious bottle, before vanishing back into the ether. My friend, of course, takes a swig and collapses to the floor, writhing in pain. “My – my future self just poisoned me,” she gasps. As her character dies in agonising

any moment of hesitation results in a juddering halt in gameplay. In Super Hexagon, failure is an essential part of life, almost to the point of being a gameplay mechanic. This difference in approach is largely because Far Cry, although treading new ground, treads it in utterly predictable ways. Anyone who’s played a console shooter in the last decade will know immediately that in Far Cry, this stick moves your feet, while this one moves your gun, while

this button on the back makes it go bang. Playing Hexagon for the first time is the shock of being plunged suddenly into boiling waters. A blast of chiptunes, a swirl of colour, a flurry of geometric shapes and it’s over. Usually in less than a second. Hexagon has its own internal logic, but the challenges are so alien to the average player, the skills so opaque, that the only way to learn how to succeed is through repeated and protracted exposure to failure. In order to learn how to live,

you must first learn how to die. Ultimately, the question is which model players will choose to embrace. Do you want to be spoon-fed victory? Or would you rather claw your way, inch by agonising inch, setting your own objectives and pushing your limits each time? Is there more satisfaction to be had in something that must be worked for? Do you want to take a trip to an (admittedly admirably crafted) theme park, or fight your way through a hostile proving ground?

madness, we’re all too busy killing ourselves laughing to care. Betrayal at House on the Hill is an interesting title for a most interesting boardgame. It’s at once a reference to a classic piece of horror cinema, and the perfect setup for the experience that follows. Betrayal is certainly a crucial theme, and the odd lack of a definite article is definitely deliberate. There was never only one house on that hill. Betrayal is an elegant symbiosis of two very different kinds of game. The exploration phase is a cooperative tile-laying game. The players must navigate the house, drawing room tiles, helping to define its layout while trying to avoid its dangers. Ideally, they’ll also use this opportunity to gear up and learn the secrets of the house. An eldritch tome from the library might hold information that will be invaluable later on. Knowing where a secret passage is located might be a lifesaver. Literally. Along with events and items, the players will also encounter omens, dangerous but powerful items that are essential keys to survival, yet also

determine the nature of the challenges that will be faced later. The more omens in play, the more likely it is that the haunt will begin. Once the atmosphere in the house has become suitably ominous, the exploration phase is over, and the haunt begins in earnest. Betrayal’s big selling point is that, in addition to the fact that the playing field of the house is randomly generated each time, the scenario (or haunt) that will play out on this canvas is chosen from one of 50 possible stories. Name pretty much any classic horror trope or movie reference and it’s probably in there somewhere. Mad cults, demons from hell, serial killers, wolfmen, mermaids, the living dead. Betrayal has them all. Even the invisible man makes an appearance. One of Betrayal’s biggest quirks is that while it begins purely cooperatively, its second half is an asymmetrical and adversarial game of puzzle solving and combat. One of the players is revealed as a traitor, and sides with whatever bad voodoo is going on in the house and against their erstwhile companions. Betrayal takes its asymmetry

very seriously. When the haunt is revealed, the traitor must leave the room to leaf through their instructions while the heroes read through theirs. The result of this is that the heroes are never fully aware of what the traitor is trying to achieve, or what dark powers they have to assist them. Likewise, the traitor doesn’t fully understand how the heroes will try to stop them. Tense doesn’t begin to describe this. Thanks to its randomised nature and elaborately over the top haunt scenarios, Betrayal is very rarely anywhere near balanced. It is not a game that should be approached with a competitive mindset. There is an excellent chance that you will not win. There is an excellent chance that you will not even survive. Luckily, win or lose, Betrayal is nothing short of a great experience, whether you’ve been infested with giant spider eggs or you’re racing to find the voodoo doll that’s slowly leeching your life away. If you or your friends have ever wanted to pay a visit to a Cabin in the Woods, or that spooky old house on the hill, this might just be your chance.

29th January 2013 23 www.studentnewspaper.org

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Dual Crossword No. 27 by PICUS

CONCISE CLUES (same answers) Across 1 To commandeer (11) 7 Channel Island (8) 8 Twist, loop, quirk (4) 9 Ghenghis --- (4) 10 Revolted, rose up (8) 12 Risky (6) 14 Skin salve (6) 15 Famous volcano (E Indies) (8) 16 Brace, couple (4) 17 How to address the queen (4) 18 Girlswear (4, 4) 19 Anno Domini (4, 2, 5)

Down 1 Unsophisticated (5-3-5) 2 Holy book of Islam (5) (beware spelling) 3 Revolting, rebellious (9) 4 Girl: climbing plant (3) 5 Personality test material (7) 6 Not open for discussion (3-10) 11 Ozzie ox-bow lake (9) 13 Before noon (archaic) (3, 4) 16 Flat loaf (5) 18 Little brother (3)

The Chambers Dictionary (2008) is recommended. Comments to the editors are welcome, and will receive a reply from the compiler

CRYPTIC CLUES

SOLUTIONS TO DUAL CROSSWORD NO. 26

Across 1 Harsh interrogation about suppressing popular demand (11) 7 Island cattle breed (8) 8 King carried on family idiosyncracy (4) 9 Hank might be an Asian prince (4) 10 Amid scattered deer a stag’s roar rose up (8) 12 Peter goes after heads of Ukrainian Nomenklatura. Risky! (6) 14 Skin medication not mixed with oil (6) 15 Joke told by a short toad. Eruption here was no joke (8) 16 Two ducks in a row. One enters a good score (4) 17 How to address the Queen gets graduate going to and fro (4) 18 What a girl wears could be a mistake on the Underground (4, 4) 19 Anno Domini, time of poise and be beauty (4, 2, 5)

Across 1 HERTZ 2 definitions 4 SACKBUT sack (wine) + but (bar) 8 MUSSOLINI Mini round souls* 9 LYE “ lie” 10 NIBLICK nick round B (a) li 12 DYFED contained Burgundy Federation 13 SOLOMON GRUNDY (wise king), run for au (gold) of gaudy 15 COCKS 2 definitions 17 HIGH-HAT 2 definitions 19 UNA un (French) + a 20 HAM-FISTED (fish mated)* 22 BLABBED [L + AB ] in B + bed 23 ELGAR large*

Down 1 Unsophisticated greyhound has RADA in stitches (5-3-5) 2 Question managed in Holy Book (5) 3 Rebel casually ruins ‘good bloke’ (9) 4 Girl climber (3) 5 Blink in confusion over Biblical writer’s blunder (7) 6 Ten go bail, none is replaced - it’s not transferable (3-10) 11 Notice a hash-pipe in Swagman’s campsite (9) 13 Support topless Austen girl once in the morning (3, 4) 16 This bread is mine, thank you (5) 18 Diminutive Friar tucked into rhubarb roly-poly (3)

Leo The movements of the North Star and the pole star push you towards a closer friendship with someone you wouldn’t expect. You will most likely end up drinking lots of ‘cheeky’ VKs at the Big Cheese. Taurus Because of the movements of Jupiter and Mars, you cheat on your partner this week. They don’t accept this excuse as particularly valid. Aries You come into either great wealth or power. Or you don’t. I don’t really know, I actually possess no powers. Gemini You’re feeling down due to the moon

Down 1 HE-MAN h + name (rev) 2 RAS 2 defs + RA’s cf Ras-tafari-an 3 ZIONISM (Zion + m) round is 4 STICK-IN-THE-MUD (nude, thick mist)* 5 CHILD chid round L 6 BULLFINCH bull + f + Inch eg bull elephant (et al) 7 TUESDAY Sue D* in Tay 11 BALACLAVA 2 definitions 13 SUCCUMB (U + cc) in sum + B 14 RAGTIME rag (vb) + Tim + E 16 SAHIB Hibs* round a 18 TUDOR T + (our d)* 21 TAG 2 definitions

A BIT ABOUT CRYPTIC CLUES This week we’ll look at connectors, humble items but they often have a part to play. We’ve seen that Cryptic clues have a Definition Part (DP) which is a synonym of the answer, and extra material – the Non-Definition Part (NDP), which gives the same answer by a different route. And we’ve seen that the NDP contains words (material) to manipulate and indicators which tell you how to do so in order to get that duplicate answer. We also know that the definition will nearly always be at the start or the end of the clue because it’s almost impossible to compose a clue with it in the middle. So Cryptic clues can be represented as:-

seeks to distract you) should flow as smoothly as possible. Some clues will do this of their own accord. But for others the setter has to add connectors to help the flow along and say “the answer is” (=) or (within the NDP) to mean plus (+).

Ans. (DP) = a + b + c etc (NDP)

(Definitions blue, connectors red). The first two flow on their own but the next two clearly need some help to fill the gaps. More on connectors next week, and how to identify them in a clue.

OR a + b + c etc (NDP) = Ans. (DP) Now we know that, unlike the underlying structure, the surface meaning of a clue (with which the compiler oscope this week #paradox Scorpio You are a supervillain from the Simpsons.

blocking valuable rays from Krypton. Your self-loathing manifests itself in a desire to set up a bear baiting ring in Teviot Underground. EUSA summarily disapprove.

Virgo Increased friction among the planets and in your trousers mean you might finally get around to losing your virginity.

Sagittarius You find horsemeat in a horsemeat pasty and it makes you question where you are in life. You need to focus on the positives, like horsemeat’s relatively low fat content and your newfound Francophilia.

Cancer A relative of yours informs you of a dark family secret involving gnomes. You have to make a startling choice that will change everything for you and your love interest.

Libra Declining cosmic rays being reflected off the moon from the Albatross Seven system mean that you are less susceptible to chronic bullshit than the other 12 star signs and you don’t need a hor-

Capricorn You will meet a tall, dark latte and it will revolutionise the way you see the world. You find yourself repelled by Cancers this week, due to planetary alignments and the cancer-reducing

Skin medication not mixed with oil LOTION Sprog reprimanded about Latin CHILD Rose and Gail combine to reveal where they’re kept in seclusion SERAGLIO Second-rate artist on ship makes money BRASS

properties of coffee. Aquarius The end of a long relationship means enormous changes in your life, this is spurred on by tidal changes resulting from the moon’s slowdown (it had a falling out with one of Jupiter’s moons who it was going steady with). You should respond by visiting the dessert place just off campus, next to Beirut. You also remember its name. Pisces Increased tension enters your life via an old flame. The resulting burn wounds are problematic and impede your social interaction. You join the Edinburgh University Burns Victims Club and celebrate Burns Night with them.

22nd January 2013 24 www.studentnewspaper.org

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The Student launches a new look for the new year s you’ve no doubt noticed if you’ve got this far into the paper, the Student has undergone a makeover. Our new year’s

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

resolution was to become sleeker, sexier, and all ‘round easier on the eyes, and we think we’ve succeeded, starting off January with this brand new

look. Obviously, looks aren’t everything, and we’re still the same old Student on the inside, but we can’t help but be proud of our

new design. The design team have toiled endlessly to bring you this new and improved version of the Student and hopefully you all like it as much as we do!

In honour of the new design, we present to you the official Student newspaper list of other things which we feel are in need of a little redesigning:

The new ITV logo. The United States’ political system. The Student Office. Bins which open inwards rather than out. The Tesco on Nicholson Street. David Hume Tower. John Terry. The European Union. The global financial system. Almost every nightclub in Edinburgh. What labyrinthine lunatic designed Opal or GHQ? Society, because it has arranged itself in such a manner that Honey Boo Boo Child can exist. Virgin Media’s automated Customer Care Service. Arsenal’s defence. Flo Rida’s understanding of the concept of originality. Doors which are push to open, but have a handle. Scientology. The world political map needs some house-keeping. Alaska should go to Canada, either Northern Ireland should join the Republic or the Republic should join Britain, South Africa should annex Swaziland, India should annex Bangladesh, Argentine and Chile should merge, Brazil should annex Uruguay, Finland should get the northern-most part of Norway and the bit of Russia next to it, Estonia should annex that silly Russian enclave in the Baltic. The map would look at lot nicer. Buildings in Edinburgh in general actually. The food pyramid, as it lack categories for Pringles and chocolate. The university credits system, as it fails to award drinking excessively. The PlayStation Network. Justin Bieber, he needs a new badass image. Beef Wellington. The sizes of bags of tortilla chips and dips. Seriously off kilter. The night sky. Constellations of Greek warriors have been done to death – let’s see some contemporary designs up there. Giraffes. Too much neck. Tesco Value beef burgers. Too much horse. The letter x, it’s too negative. The English language for allowing YOLO to become a thing. The decision-making apparatus that led to this list being created, and to most of its content.

Editors Daniel Swain & Nina Bicket Design editors Ben Shmulevitch & Christopher Sladdin News Alistair Grant & Thurston Smalley Comment Yasmin Morgan-Griffifths, Stephen Maughan & Charlotte Ryan Features Cameron Taylor, Francesca Mitchell & Rona Broadhead Lifestyle Katherine Nugent & Marissa Trew Science & Environment Nina Seale & Katy Sheen Technology Alasdair MacLeod Horoscopes Max Johnson, Guy Rughani & Ben Scally Crosswords John Wakely Culture Troy Holmes, Madeleine Ash & Lene Korseberg Music Stuart Iversen & Emmett Cruddas Film Dan Scott Lintott & Sally Pugh TV Jack ‘Muzzah’ Murray Sport Piers Barber & Phil Smith

Jobs: The Student is always looking for budding reporters, reviewers, illustrators and photographers to join us. We’re also hunting for recruits in our production and advertising departments. If you’re interested, why not attend one of our weekly meetings or socials? Our weekly meeting is held every Tuesday in the Teviot Debating Hall at 1.15pm and our weekly social is held every Tuesday in the Teviot Loft Bar from 8.15pm. 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 10,000 University of Edinburgh students every week. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Kitchener, David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill are a few of the famous people who have been associated with the paper. In the early 1970s, Gordon Brown worked as a news editor and diary columnist, working alongside Robin Cook who, at the time, was 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.

Head of illustration Jalen Vasquez Photo editor Elizabeth Doucette Commission Sarah Burch Head copy editor Melissa Geere Copy editors Susan Lechett, Elisnor Smith, Lindsay Thomson, Charlotte Wagenaar, & Helena Wilson Advertising Matt McDonald, Rachel Barkey & Kirsten Weir | Distribution James Wood | Marketing Dan Scott Lintott | Social Media Kelly Meulenberg Secretary Rebecca O’Doherty | Treasurer Katy Sheen | Social Secretary Thomas ‘Aussie Tom’ Grant

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 transmited 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, on Monday, September 25th, 2012. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office.

A message from your EUSA Vice President for Academic Affairs Paid for by Edinburgh University Students Association By Andrew Burnie @AndrewBurnie

Inspiring Teaching and Hidden Course Costs EUSA’s annual student led Teaching Awards Ceremony is getting closer with nominations closing on the 1st of March. Get online now and nominate, whether it’s the best feedback you’ve ever had, an innovative use of technology or a great all rounder you want to nominate there is a category for you. Each year our Teaching Awards highlight some of the amazing things that are happening in teaching across the University. From those we organise our annual Inspiring Teaching Conference, taking place on Wednesday 20th February from 1:15pm in Teviot. This is a chance not only to find out about what’s going on in teaching in your University but to influence the discussion on where our institution is going. Come along and find out more about peer marking, online communities, how academic societies can aid the learning experience and much more. You can also interact with sen-

ior members of University staff and make sure that your views are heard. Every year the event has grown and reached more parts of the University so book your place now and be a part of the discussion. You can book online at www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/inspiringteaching. Our Academic Council has also just kicked off a new campaign on Hidden Course Costs, these are the costs the students are expected to pay for course materials above and beyond any fees. We believe that sometimes these costs are not made clear in advance but need to know your experience so please get online and fill out the survey. You’ll find more about the campaign and the link to the survey at www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/hiddencoursecosts. As always if you have any concerns about the academic side of University life feel free to contact me by email at vpaa@eusa.ed.ac.uk Andrew Burnie Vice President Academic Affairs

Best Feedback

Best Research h or Dissertation Supervisor

Vita Vit ae Po Post stgra tgraduate uatess Who Tutor

Supporting S ti Stu t de d ntt Learning Award

Tea Te achi chin ng Em Emp ploy oya able Skills Award

Best Course

Y can now nominate for the You EUSA Te T aching Awa w rdsat eusa.ed.ac.uk/ k/teachingawards IN ASSOCIATION WITH

College Teaching Awards

B st P Be Personall Tutor T

Teaching with Technology

29th January 2013 26 www.studentnewspaper.org

culture@thestudentnewspaper.org twitter.com/thestudentpaper

Traverse Theatre hits the half century By Maria Kheyfets @Mariakheyfets

John Bellany: A Passion for Life

National Gallery of Scotland until 27th January By Figgy Guyver @FiggyGuyver

here’s something unerringly Scottish about the square above Princes Street Gardens. Standing stoically to the south, the castle dominates our view. To the north, the Scott Monument pierces the horizon like a gothic spaceship while bagpipes comprise the soundtrack to each visit. For an artist so ingrained in Scottish culture, it is apt that John Bellany’s comprehensive retrospective is found in The Scottish National Gallery.

“

Bellany’s large-scale oils refrain from nostalgically harking back to the past”

The significance of this particular location is stressed in the exhibition.

Photo:www.traverse.co.uk

n 2013 the Traverse Theatre, home of Scotland’s new writing scene, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. From new plays to dance-based productions, the Traverse provides an environment in which contemporary playwrights can flourish; in fact, many of Scotland’s best-known writers have launched their careers this way. Not solely for homegrown writers, though, the Traverse also hosts many productions by visiting companies and has a highly successful Fringe Festival programme that received a remarkable 14 awards in 2012. In its first three years the miniscule new company produced an astounding 110 productions, including 28 British premieres and 33 world premieres. After one relocation in the late 1960s, the Traverse finally moved to its current location, a £3.3 million purpose-built space on Cambridge Street, in 1992 and has enjoyed tremendous success ever since. Perhaps its most prominent feature is its remarkable dedication to new writing, supporting aspiring

dramatists of all ages. The Traverse’s leading education project ‘Class Act’ has been helping school pupils develop their plays for 23 years, providing them with numerous opportunities, from working with professional playwrights to converting their work into full-scale stage productions. Also popular is the Young Writers’ Group, which is open to new playwrights between the ages of 18 and 25 and prides itself on the many graduates who have gone on to write professionally.

To celebrate 50 years of success in new writing the Traverse ran a competition to select fifty writers for a year- long attachment, the winners of which were announced on 19 December. Throughout 2013 these writers will be invited to participate in a variety of specialised events including panel discussions, workshops and one-onone dramaturgy – this will culminate in a New Writing Festival to showcase the work developed by the Traverse Fifty throughout the year. Ultimately,

In a demonstration during his time at the Edinburgh College of Art, Bellany hung his works from the railings outside the gallery, challenging the art world’s shifting centrality across the Atlantic towards distinctively American Abstract Expressionism. Endearingly showing signs of this tumultuous history, early paintings are often perforated with holes around the edges, or bashed in at corners as they were evidently carried down the mound. Despite his reaction to the new direction of his contemporaries, Bellany’s large-scale oils refrain from nostalgically harking back to the past. His references to Delacroix, Titan and Rembrandt exude timeless grandeur. That’s not to say Bellany’s work lacks the energy of the age. Becoming aggressively gestural during his period of intense alcoholism and inner turmoil, the unsettling symbolism and violent brushwork is like watching his self-destruction. Yet his paintings remain ferociously attractive. Teetering wildly on the edge of abstract expressionism, the movement Bellany desperately wanted to escape from; this is his moment of crisis. Then you reach the “Addenbro-

okes Hospital Series”. Following an emergency liver transplant, Bellany painted an astonishingly fragile collection of watercolour self-portraits from his sickbed. Personal and honest, Bellany’s paintings return to his earlier philosophy and are serenely self-assured.

“

Personal and honest, Bellany’s paintings return to his earlier philosophy and are serenely self-assured”

His most recent paintings have come full circle. Re-examining port scenes at Leith with an expressionistic heightening of colour, there is renewed appreciation of natural beauty and of his familiar hometown. His most recent painting was finished in June 2012, a self-portrait celebrating his 70th birthday which comprehensively sums up his life. There are tinges of humour; he is dressed in black tie after famously boasting that he could paint with no mess, yet the gaunt face beneath his elbow and the wild brushstrokes provide unnerving reminders of his riotous history.

three of these writers will be offered seed commissions. Hamish Pirie, the associate director and leader of the Traverse Fifty project said of the theatre’s past, present and future that although “the Traverse initially began as a small garage theatre above a brothel where all types of theatre were performed” it actually “became successful and popular at a very early stage”. He believes that “now that the theatre has become internationally

Cold Grave Craig Robertson (2012) By Francesca Vavotici

idden in the snowy alleys of Glasgow and the suggestive ice-covered landscapes of the Scottish countryside, long concealed secrets are ready to be rediscovered in Craig Robertson’s new novel Cold Grave, an outstanding work of crime fiction. As her father becomes more and more obsessed with his last, unsolved case, Detective Rachel Narey is determined to put his conscience at rest and find out who, twenty years earlier, committed the murder of a teenage girl on the Island of Inchmahome. While the investigation proceeds, Detective Narey understands that the past might be closer than it seems as accidents and incidents start to occur. Helped by the death-obsessed photographer Tony, Rachel digs deeper and deeper into untold stories and spooky realities, facing incredible dangers and risking her job and her

renowned” the true value of its contribution is that “Scottish writers are widely translated, and this year their work has been shown, for example, in New York and Australia.” When asked how he would define the type of theatre that is performed at the Traverse, he responded that it is “innovative, relevant, and places a large focus on engaging with the audience and making a lasting impact”, adding, “we are always embracing new styles and forms – there are many different ways to tell a story.” However, he also argues that the output of the theatre is easily categorised. “There are three [categories]: the work we produce ourselves; the exceptional international touring work we present; and the Edinburgh festival – for which we curate and select between 19 and 25 works.” As for the theatre’s vision for the future, Pirie is forward-looking. “We would like to celebrate past achievements but also to herald the future, continuing to embrace the tradition of theatrical innovation and serving as a platform for the development of Scottish playwriting. Bringing these visions together is what the Traverse Fifty is all about.”

life in her pursuit of the truth. Accompanied by a cast of brilliantly crafted secondary characters, the two protagonists make for excellently developed personalities, capable of fascinating the reader with their peculiar yet charming traits. If Rachel represents the impeccable hero, moved by noble principle and ready to face any challenge for a good cause, Tony Winter reveals himself to be a more complex and fetching figure. Captivated by the painstaking search for clues, the reader is encouraged to take part in the story, breathing in the atmosphere and following the characters in their struggle. Punctuated by touchingly sweet moments and moving episodes, the novel does not lack in humour and freshness, relieving the audience from the grim nature of the events. Its only flaw, sadly, is that it presents some groups, for instance travellers and the police, in a very stereotyped way. This fault, however, does not undermine the powerful effect of Craig’s work, which still stands out as impressive and alluring. Remarkably well-written, Cold Grave is bound to be loved by the readers, keeping them on the edge of their seats until the very last word.

5th February 2013 27 www.studentnewspaper.org

Albums

Opposites Biffy Clyro

By Kieran Johnson

Photo: Biffy Clyro PR

Fleetwood Mac Rumours

By Kate Walker

umours by Fleetwood Mac is a legendary album. A status it deserves, it is possibly the one album that has something for everyone and all tastes. The simple yet dynamic chords of “Never Going Back Again” show that Fleetwood Mac’s music was written at a time where music was pure and meaningful. Every lyric of every song has something more to it. From the album comes the iconic “Don’t Stop” and “Go Your Own

Way”, which, if you haven’t yet heard, you’ve obviously missed out a point in your education. Opening with “Loving you, isn’t the right thing to do” after only a few rough guitar chords, “Go Your Own Way” is powerful from the off and has merited many covers since, but none match the original. The spine-tingling “Silver Springs” with Stevie Nick’s vocals is in a word, astounding – not something easily said about music. Again simple but with so much depth you’ll lose yourself in the moment. Her raw attack at heart-wrenching lyrics such as, “Time casts a spell on you / But you won’t forget me / You’ll never forget the sound of the woman that loves you”, make the track a true highlight. Floating and mesmerising

here would be a legitimate argument in saying that Biffy Clyro are the biggest rock band in the UK and their follow up to the immense, world-beating Only Revolutions, sees the band return with an ambitious double album, Opposites. Most striking is the album’s predominantly sombre mood. Songs like “Opposite” and “Skylight” are slow burning synth led pieces, the sparse instrumentation complementing the emotive lyrics. However some of these bolder experimental pieces suffer from a lack of the energy that we’re accustomed to from Biffy Clyro, while some of the other tracks like “Black Chandewith a smooth piano backtrack; “Songbird” hits all emotions. On the flipside, the instantly recognisable “The Chain” is slightly darker with a sexy edge that comes from a band that work well in performance but with rooted issues behind closed doors. Those few bass moments will impress you at every listen. It’s no secret that Fleetwood Mac has changed members more times than the Sugarbabes, but Rumours comes from the time where they had their line-up perfect. As my own favourite record, it’s hard to say a bad word about the album, but seeing as I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t appreciate it as a masterpiece of sound, I won’t. Just genius.

Mogwai

Les Revenants By Laura Cain

Photo: Matador Records

S Singles

cottish post-rock giants Mogwai return to the world of writing scores on their latest EP for French TV series Les Revenants (‘The Returnees’). Based on the film released in 2004, the show follows a group of people trying to return home, unaware of the fact that they are in fact dead and no one awaits them there. The four song EP definitely translates that air of mystery, adventure and peculiarity that you would come to expect from such a cryptic premise to a show. “Wizard Motor” builds up into a culmination of powerful drum crashes and atmospheric guitar-riffs

lier” sink into radio-friendly rock that falls short of expectations. Don’t worry though, Biffy haven’t ‘done a Kings of Leon’. Across the two albums there are moments of everything that make this band great: “Sounds Like Balloons” contains the angular riffing and epic choruses that have made Biffy the darlings of the alt rock community for over a decade; “Stingin’ Belle” is a solid rocker that’s destined to become a live favourite, an anthem purpose built for stadia, complete with a bagpipe-laden outro. ‘Ambition’ would be the keyword for Opposites. Along with the aforementioned keyboards and bagpipes, kazoos, string sections and mariachi horns also make their way onto the album, the latter adding both fun and intrigue to the otherwise pedestrian “Spanish Radio”, transforming it into an album highlight. “Pockets” and “Trumpet or Tap” also showcase Biffy having a shot at power-pop and bluesy

soul respectively. Lyrically speaking, Opposites proves to be a fitting title for the album. At times dealing with darker themes such as loss and desperation with sheer honesty (“I shouldn’t laugh but I know I’m a failure in your eyes” – “Black Chandelier”), Simon Neil also expresses Biffy’s defiance and unity in his craft. For example, “Picture a Knife Fight”, with its rallying cry of “we’ve got to stick together”, or the anthemic “Victory Over the Sun” demonstrate the sound of a band who’ve faced their share of trials and have come out stronger. Opposites is ultimately a very human album, encompassing a range of styles and emotions, equally determined and introspective but most of all sincere. And while being far from perfect, the flaws add to both the charm and the drama. Much like life itself.

Fleetwood Mac: The oldies are still the best with an eerie organ-like synth backdrop. The surprisingly short “Soup” is a much more calming affair, complete with distinctive Mogwai-esque bass line, whereas “The Hut” and its repetitive piano sequence proves that less is more when it comes to post-rock.

“

Translates that air of mystery and adventure”

Indeed post-rock is one of those genres of music which, lacking the overriding and lyrically defining lead singer, is on a par with classical music when it comes to attempting to analyse it. You could say it’s excellent atmospheric music, easy on the ear, and particularly helpful when it comes to late night essay writing. In all Les Revenants doesn’t disappoint; offering a blend of moody sounds, it seems to have been written for those pesky winter blues.

Photo: Fleetwood Mac PR

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The Courteeners Lose Control

By Jessica Holmes

aving been away for three years, The Courteeners have certainly evolved their sound since the last time we saw them. New single “Lose Control” from their latest album Anna sees them move away from the fast-paced and upbeat guitar riffs to a more electronic feel that has no doubt come from working with new producer Joe Cross. Whilst this change of direction may take a while to get used to for a fan of the band’s older work, “Lose Control” is revealed to still retain the feel of an indie guitar anthem with a simple chorus that will surely have the crowds at their upcoming tour singing.

29th January 2013 28 www.studentnewspaper.org

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By Lene Korseberg @lenekorseberg

Transformation & Revelation: Gormley to Gaga - Designing for Performance Summerhall until 22 February By Hannah Dimsdale @ handimsdale

his visually entrancing exhibition gives the viewer a broad and fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes of theatrical productions. As an audience member, it is easy to take a production only at face value, making this dynamic exhibition all the more important. It not only reveals the effort that goes into set design, but also the music, costume and overall visual experience that each theatre team creates. This was shown most vibrantly in the set design of Billy Bud at Glyn-

A NEW LOOK AT OLD CLASSICS

with the inevitable truth that several books which were published in the late part of the 20th century are of a good enough quality to compete with the old giants. A quick Google search shows that loads of effort has been put into defining the term classic. Criteria include strong literary quality, lasting recognition, a certain universal appeal and applicability, and often, but not

always, some kind of time frame. Criteria like this are easy to put down as a theoretical starting point, but when applied in practice certain issues arise. A good example of this is the Harry Potter books. Considered by many as the best children’s books ever written, and often referred to as classics in their own right, they do not qualify under the criteria above. But should they? The last book of the series, Har-

debourne by the set and costume designer Chris Oram, who transformed the stage to look like the interior of a working sailing ship. The dark and winding rooms in which this exhibition is located give the feeling that the viewer is actually walking around a set. The dim lighting and screens displaying the sets in production make the exhibition constantly engaging.

closely he worked with the choreographer Cherkaoui and described how the blocks were not simply visual but also metaphorical; the “emptiness becoming meaningful and alive”. Thirtythree installations are displayed throughout the exhibition and as the title suggests, they give an expansive view of what theatre and performance design is today.

“

As an audience member, it is easy to take a production only at face value, making this dynamic exhibition all the more important. It not only reveals the effort that goes into set design, but also the music, costume and overall visual experience that each theatre team creates.”

The use of sound and interviews with set designers and those involved is an interesting way to realise what the artists were trying to encapsulate. The interview with Antony Gormley for his set design of the Sadler Well’s ballet, Sutra, helped explain how the complex use of 200 blocks joined to make a collective body. Gormley also explained how

This exhibition focuses on the broad imaginative interpretation of each artist and is an exciting showcase for the incredibly talented designers who challenge theatre conventions. In particular, Connor Murphy’s minimalist set design for the Magic Flute and John Macfarlane’s Cinderella, that took a dark twist on the much loved story, really stole the show.

ry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published as late as 2007, hardly giving the pages time to turn yellow. Surely, no one would question the fact that these are amazing books and that they deserve the praise that they have got, but to include them in the privileged crowd that make up ‘the classics’ might be too early. Essentially, one must not forget that the whole point of having such a

50 Plays for Edinburgh

Traverse Theatre Run Ended By Rosie Hopegood

0 Plays for Edinburgh: “1 city, 50 writers, 50 plays, 25,000 words”. This production, the result of a competition for new writers at the Traverse Theatre, showcases the new talent that will be writing for the theatre in 2013. This ambitious and exciting project involved just six actors, generally of high quality, with Scott Fletcher and Gabriel Quigley in particular standing out. It encouraged new writers to write short but often thought-provoking plays. Seen through the eyes of so many writers, the depictions of Edinburgh were diverse and disparate, sometimes dystopian, sometimes sinister, often beautiful, often unexpected. Stuffed full of tram jokes, the evening was an interesting exploration of boundaries, identity and the meaning of place.

Photo:classicbooksblog.wordpress.com

hat makes a book a classic? Indeed, there is a variety of different views on this contested topic. Publishing houses have a tendency to refer to books published last decade as classics, without really explaining what meaning they give to the term. However, in a world which is constantly creating new literature it may be useful to have some kind of understanding of what gives a book this prestigious title. When hearing the word ‘classic’ in Britain one immediately thinks of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and the like. For many, classics are old hardbacks with yellow pages, a broken spine and countless notes written by generations lost in the margins. It refers to the great novels first published more than two hundred years ago and whose continued importance stand as a mark of their supremacy. However, even the most conservative connoisseur of literature would admit that this is not necessarily the best way of going about defining the term classic. If that was so, any such definition would certainly include Dickens and Austen, but would also exclude great works like The Great Gatsby, Crime and Punishment and many others. Also, we all have to deal

term as classic is to categorise and inform – make it too general and it loses its value and applicability. However, one should be careful of limiting such categories too much and thus risking excluding titles which rightly belong there. The discussion of what makes a classic goes on, and as long as the writers of the day continue to produce fantastic literature any definition will continue to be challenged. There were problems, however: actors read from a script, sometimes sitting on chairs and using minimal gestures or movement as part of the performance; they read, rather than acted the stage directions and there were no props or costumes. These details sometimes led to the feeling that it was a dress rehearsal, rather than a polished play. Furthermore, because the plays were so short it was sometimes hard for the audience to keep up with the fast pace of the changing plots. However, the limitations of the medium also meant that good writing shone out, with fantastic plays such as End of the Line by Sophie Good, The Boundary by Deborah Klayman, Acorns by Sam Siggs, Passing Glance by Alan Gordon, and The Babysitter by Mose Hayward. Despite the troublesome aspects of the performance, 2013 at The Traverse looks to be an exciting year. The writers of 50 Plays for Edinburgh, are set to feature heavily in the theatre’s programme with a series of short plays, lectures, light installations, music and dance; there are many skilled writers to look out for.

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New Jersey Nights

Turner in January

Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre Run ended

National Gallery of Scotland until 31st January

By Laura See

By Olivia Stilwell @Libbyc_st

ew Jersey Nights presents the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons through singers Jon Hawkins, Duncan Heather, Ricky Rojas and Damion Scarcella. Their vocals were faultless and beautifully replicated the stunning harmonies and high range vocals that gave the Four Seasons their unique sound. However, what New Jersey

Winter Journal Paul Auster (2012) Faber and Faber

By Tim Sommer

hen Paul Auster published his first book of prose, the semi-autobiographical The Invention of Solitude, in 1982, it marked the beginning of a career that made him one of the most important American novelists of his generation. Since then, he has established a reputation for writing experimental yet extremely readable novels such as The New York Trilogy and The Book of Illusions. Thirty years after his first success, Auster returns to the memoir genre with Winter Journal, consisting of a set of skilfully disconnected recollections. The book assembles scraps of memories of Auster’s childhood in New Jersey, his hand-to-mouth existence as a poet in the Paris in the 70s

Photo: tate.org.uk

he annual display of the Henry Vaughan collection of Turner watercolours has once again returned to the Scottish National Gallery. The infrequent nature of this event is due to eminent Victorian collector’s insistence that the work only be exhibited during January, since watercolours fade easily if over exposed. The experience of viewing the works as a whole is truly gratifying and gives the rare opportunity to see many lesser known pieces produced at a time when Turner’s Romantic style was developing. Travel provided an important stimulus for J.M.W Turner and during the 1790s he undertook sketching tours across England, Scotland and Wales, gathering material for watercolour pieces in the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Isles. Falls of Clyde, depicting a Scottish waterfall, presents an unusually depressive palette and when combined with a dusty texture is more stirring than idyllic. How much Turner’s unique response to dramatic

atmospheres had developed throughout his career was evident throughout the exhibition. Another intriguing facet of the collection was the illustrations of the woodland surrounding Sir Walter Scott’s country house, created to stand alongside his poems. The highly sensitive watercolours brought to mind Beatrix Potter, and showed genuine breadth of skill in an artist associated with sweeping panoramas. For those who are fundamentally loyal to Turner’s Venetian works, ar-

guably representing the highpoint of his artistic maturity, the collection will not disappoint. His portrayal of the stunning vista in Palazzo Balbi on the Grand Canal Venice elevates the city to a heavenly form, and his literal use of watery ink succeeds beautifully in evoking the city built on water. Known as a ‘painter of light’, he certainly fulfils his aim of expressing the spirituality in the world, and it is these works which ultimately leave the viewer sharing in Turner’s sense of the sublime.

and his family life in New York with fellow writer Siri Hustvedt. Winter Journal’s greatest experiment is that it is written entirely as a second person narrative, dispensing with the almost obligatory “I” for its 200 pages. Through this, Auster almost removes himself from his own memories, allowing him to keep a healthy distance from his sometimes drastic confessions. While this device becomes annoying halfway through, it helps Auster point out that when he writes about himself he is writing about experiences shared by readers. Rather than conventionally tell-

pleasure, collapse and ecstasy and archiving them, showing them to be the means through which he experiences life and interacts with reality. Though largely covering fairly bleak topics, ranging from accidents and panic attacks to illness and death, this book is far from a depressing read. Auster writes with remarkable frankness about his work as a novelist, his marriage and his love life, accepting its ups and downs alike as inevitable elements. All this is beautifully united through his typical, effortlessly elaborate prose. Winter Journal is a quiet and

“

Though largely covering bleak topics, ranging from accidents and panic attacks to illness and death, this book is far from a depressing read. Auster writes with remarkable frankness”

ing the story of a life, Winter Journal deals with its author’s life as perceived through the lens of his body. In the book, Auster compiles “a catalogue of sensory data”, recording bodily sensations such as pain and

rewarding book, not afraid of the occasional bit of sentimentality. But above all, in its transformation of everyday experience into a piece of literature, it’s a metaphor for art itself.

this; numerous times the lead microphone was inexcusably quiet, resulting in the singing often being overshadowed by the band. Emma Rogers’s choreography was superbly tight, but unfortunately the dancers often distracted attention from the Four Seasons and the hits the audience clearly came to witness. Although a thoroughly enjoyable production, it was not completely satisfying. Despite New Jersey Nights being an evening of music, not necessarily a ‘musical,’ I still can’t help thinking that more variety in setting and atmosphere, possibly by using a much larger cast, could have evoked a lot more from this up-beat, energetic show than simply being a ‘tribute’ act. The vocals were terrific and if an

“

The house band were appropriately up-beat and tight, however the faulty sound engineering often ruined this; numerous times the lead microphone was inexcusably quiet, resulting in the singing often being overshadowed by the band”

Nights lacks is any form of structure. All four members share the lead vocals, and whilst the links between songs are quite interesting, they are also delivered in the actors’ own English accents – distracting from the 1970’s American vibe. The house band were appropriately up-beat and tight, however the faulty sound engineering often ruined

A Trick I Learned From Dead Men

Kitty Aldridge (2012) Vintage By Sofie Ejdrup Larsen @ sofieejdrup

itty Aldridge sets out to do the unthinkable: write a novel that deals with death in a fun and entertaining way. In playful and experimental language she tells the story of Lee, a quirky character working at a funeral home, and his trouble going about supporting his family, getting with the ladies and living life in general. The story begins shortly after the death of his mother and revolves around the absurdity of life; its unpredictability, its absurdity and its apparent meaninglessness. Aldridge’s attempt to write about death in a different and subtle way is, for the most part, successful. By the use of her minimalist style she re-

evening of good music, tight choreography and enthusiastic audience interaction is what you are looking for, then New Jersey Nights will tick all these boxes. But expect nothing more than this, as the severe lack of storyline or structure leaves one unable to be fully satisfied.

duces life and death to their smallest elements and her simple yet carefully selected words often contain a double meaning. Through this Aldridge manages to illustrate the constant presence of death in life in a very sophisticated way. Throughout the book, the reader views the world through the eyes of Lee, a not-so-trustworthy narrator; it is often hard to tell what is reality and what is the product of Lee’s imagination. In this way, the book does not simply give itself away but instead demands a lot from its reader. Even though it is clear what Aldridge is trying to do, 200 pages of hints and symbolic references can become a bit too much. Instead of giving insight, the minimalistic way of writing becomes a bit superficial in the long run and is at risk of leaving the reader bored. Then again, death is a tricky topic and Aldridge definitely gives it a qualified shot. This is indeed an original and interesting read worth spending some time on, if anything, for the unique language. Patience is needed, though – death cannot be rushed.

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The Sense of an Ending

ATaste of Honey

The Royal Lyceum

Julian Barnes (2011) Jonathan Cape

By Douglas Gibson &douglastgibson

TwitterTuesday This week’s cultural tweeter... @EdinCityofLit When in need of information about what’s on in the Edinburgh world of literature, nowhere is better to start than here. Packed with information about upcoming events and general lit news, the Edinburgh City of Literature tweeters are there to help.

@TheStage The entertainment industry magazine; there’s no better place to start. Filled with interviews, reviews and comment pieces, if you’re interested in the perfoming arts this is a great read.

@NatGalleriesSco For updates and info on all exhibitions at the Gallery of Modern Art, the National Gallery and the Portrait Gallery and retweets from visitors, reviewers and cultural thinkers. Also tips on sledging down Princes Street Gardens in the snow!

By Calum Risbridger

Photo: Alan McCredie

ritten in 1958 at the tender age of eighteen, Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey explores the claustrophobic and often volatile relationship between a mother and daughter. Set in Salford against the backdrop of racial and homosexual prejudice, Delaney’s play certainly has the potential to comment on political and social aspects of our contemporary age. Unfortunately, however, Tony Cownie’s revival of the play makes little effort to re-imagine themes inherent in the text; instead his direction leaves an audience to wonder whether the play is anything more than a period piece. To Cownie’s credit, his production captures the turbulent dynamic between mother and daughter particularly well through its emphasis on fast paced interaction and witty asides delivered directly to the audience. Incidentally, this aspect of his direction is the only device which breaks the naturalistic wall and attempts to en-

gage the spectator in the moment. Lucy Black’s portrayal of Helen as a heavy drinking and flirtatious mother is indeed wonderfully energetic throughout, as is Rebecca Ryan’s depiction of a young girl impregnated by a black sailor after a fleeting romantic affair, which is at once convincing and impassioned. Yet it is in the second act of the play, which focuses specifically on Jo’s pregnancy and the homosexual character of Geoffrey who supports his friend in light of her mother’s absence, that I felt most dismayed. Although he is clearly a talented actor, Charlie Ryan’s performance sadly fell into the category of camp archetype. A combi-

nation of childlike mannerisms and a high-pitched voice appeared as an unnecessary stereotype of homosexuality, prompting uncomfortable splutters of laughter from a few members of the audience. No, thank you. In a play so obviously preoccupied with confronting social expectation, it is disappointing that Cownie’s production does not seek to re-invigorate the dialogue with a new perspective for our modern age. An important question to pose when attending the theatre: Why this particular play at this precise moment in time? In the case of Cownie’s revival of A Taste of Honey, I left the Lyceum unanswered.

he Sense of an Ending is British author Julian Barnes’ eleventh novel written under his own name. It was awarded the Man Booker Prize in 2011. The novel follows Anthony ‘Tony’ Webster from his teenage years into mature adulthood. It centres on his clique’s befriending of a brilliant young student, Adrian Finn, at high school in 1960s London and the events surrounding Adrian’s suicide. The novel charts the progression of Tony’s life in the wake of this incident. The focus on the past and its associated phenomena (time, history and memory) are the main concerns of this novel. The narrator’s reminiscing about his group’s intellectual discussions is at times bizarre and somewhat pretentious – however, the novel’s driving principle is the very erosion of certainty and it employs several postmodern techniques to this end. This is

mirrored in the many difficulties Tony experiences as he tries to make sense of his remembered past. Tony’s philosophical commentary runs throughout the book and although Barnes’s witty and eloquent style makes this more engaging, readers with a preference for action or emotion will find themselves underwhelmed – the novel often reads more like a meditation than a thriller and can be disorientating in its very lack of certainty. However, this may be the point. Barnes is illustrating the instability of established views, an aim realised with the greatest impact in the novel’s dramatic concluding twist in which Tony finally discovers the true turn of events surrounding his friend’s suicide.

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Barnes’s witty and eloquent style”

When these facts come to light, some of the central figures in Tony’s life are portrayed in a starkly different light, showing how partial and misguided some of his opinions of them were. Perhaps the novel’s main accomplishment is that reading it makes you take stock of the fact that the truth often goes deeper than is apparent to onlookers.

COMMISION #13 SCOTT MCGUIGAN Scott McGuigan is a final year Intermedia student. Growing up in Glasgow’s East end, McGuigan was exposed to the social implications that gang culture had on Glaswegian society. Glasgow has a reputation of being a rough and ready town full of friendly but hard people. The work “Ashes to Ashes” focuses on Brian Gardner, the youngest man to receive a sentence at Barlinnie prison. Brian has experienced hardship in his life and this work objectifies the struggle he has made, rising above his past criminal experiences and turning his life around for the better. “Ashes to Ashes” is a work that demonstrates the reincarnation of the human spirit, in this case its main focus being Brian Gardner.

29th January 2013 31 www.studentnewspaper.org

{Awayland}

ALBUMS

Villagers

Photo: Villagers PR

By Jack Skelton

Villagers: Fucking love knitwear

Lysandre

Christopher Owens

By Joe Smith

ast year Christopher Owens did something that took music fans by surprise. By leaving his band Girls, he called time on the project, and a once hotly tipped band that had not long released their second album and were on their way to mainstream success, were simply no more. However, it’s not all so glum. For Owens may have left Girls on grounds of apathy and disillusionment, but his desire to create music never wavered, and so we’re presented with Lysandre, his first solo offering. It’s certainly not picking up from where his previous band left off either. Owen’s penchant

LONG.LIVE.A$AP A$AP Rocky

By James Tuchel

fter his 2011 debut mixtape, LIVE.LOVE.A$AP which by all accounts was good, if a little unpolished – expectations were high for A$AP Rocky’s first full album. Multiple delays, rumoured to be caused by A$AP’s unwillingness to compromise artistically, and word about the size of his signing bonus from RCA Records only added to the hype. Does the album live up to it, though? There are certainly a few tracks to sink your teeth into. The title track’s lazy bass and deep grind match A$AP’s own lyrical style so well, it feels so good it’s sinful. “Goldie” (the second best

for flutes and saxophones bucks most trends of what would be considered ‘cool’ in the world of indie today, and this makes Lysandre all the better, in some ways creating a kind of timeless sound that expresses his true talent. What we have here is a collection of 11 painfully delicate and personal songs that consider all things from forming his previous band, to their rise to relative fame before the inevitable end that was to come, with a whirlwind love affair thrown in for good measure.

Villagers’ 2010 earnest and affecting debut Becoming a Jackal was nominated for the Mercury Prize and slowly garnered greater critical and commercial attention, in part due to Conor O’Brien’s stirring solo performances at the award ceremony itself and on Later...with Jools Holland. This follow up album has therefore been met with no little anticipation and expectation, especially to see how the band’s sound would develop. On the first record, O’Brien’s quivering, delicate voice and folk guitar were complimented by occasional orchestral and electric intonations. Whilst more interesting than most of the current surfeit of heartfelt singer-songwriters who incorporate inflections of other styles, there was a sense that O’Brien needed

Simplicity and honesty are the name of the game here, both musically and lyrically, and not one song gives

a better example of this than “Love Is In The Ear Of The Listener”, which confronts the singer’s self-doubt in his own ability as a songwriter. Such direct writing may seem throwaway if it came from any other artist, and is what keeps this album on the right side of sounding like something The Carpenters would have churned out some 40 odd years ago, and more like a slightly scraggy Beach Boys. It’s the fact that you know that all this comes with the tortured edge of a man who has lived through religious cults, desertion by his family and opium abuse that the innocence found on Lysandre doesn’t look so sugary sweet, and more desperate. It may appear a shame for such a promising band as Girls to meet their demise so early on, but from this evidence, it could be the best career choice Christopher Owens has ever made.

song on this album) essentially pulls the same trick, letting A$AP Rocky play into the soundscape to full effect. The result is an otherwise satisfying gangster hip-hop romp through what turns out to be a disappointingly two-dimensional world inhabited by the usual genre tropes of expensive cars, clothes, booze, etc. A few tracks on the latter half of the album have a more introspective tone but aren’t as well produced and don’t stand strongly enough on this alone to make them a compelling listen. Other songs play with electronic beats to mixed success. A$AP’s rhymes are fluid and adaptable and the overall effect works smoothly on tracks like “LVL” and the no doubt club-bound Skrillex produced “Wild For The Night”. Other times it

falls flat and is just dull. (Looking at you, conspicuous Santigold collaboration.) Other than a few shining moments, flat is how the album stays. The main problem is a lack of any cohesive vision. As a whole, LONG.LIVE.A$AP sounds like a group of songs that have been produced ‘by consensus’, rather than something envisaged by a single artist. Revealingly the producers list on this album is longer than A$AP’s incredulous bankroll, something which isn’t necessarily unusual or even an issue if the material in question is solid enough. If A$AP can decide on a firmer direction and artistic vision for the next one, it could be an absolute killer. At least the expectations will be slightly lower.

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All this comes with the tortured edge of a man who has lived through religious cults”

to expand Villagers’ range to avoid getting lost among the crowd, something he duly does on this album. Whilst this is not evident on the insipid and forgettable acoustic opener “My Lighthouse”, Villagers’ development quickly becomes apparent on second track, “Earthly Pleasure”. Together with one of the best recent opening lines to a song, the lyrics convey a surreal, absurd postmodern tale as we follow a protagonist on a heady, time-travelling journey. The music ranges wildly too, building from an acoustic intro into layers of strings and finally distorted guitar, perfectly matching the subject matter of the song. Lead single “The Waves” similarly builds from an understated opening into a triumphant, boisterous crescendo. O’Brien’s use of electronic sounds is most clearly seen on this track, yet he is also able to fluently incorporate brass, piano and heavy guitar with im-

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan

By Catriona Mallows reviously released in 1962, we revisit Bob Dylan and his wondrous melodies and lyrics within his album Bob Dylan. The influential singer songwriter is known for his guitar strumming backdropped with his poignant voice, one which has echoed throughout pop culture for over 50 years. Bob Dylan begins with “You’re No Good”, an upbeat acoustic, harmonica-fuelled song. This follows onto “Talkin’ New York”. “In My Time Of Dyin’” precedes the wonderful “Man of Constant Sorrow”, an ode to Dylan’s heritage. “Fixin’ To Die” is ironically

pressive results. However, this combination of various styles and sounds does not always serve the record well. Too often, songs, in particular “Judgement Call” and “Passing a Message”, get lost beneath an oppressive wall of sound in the final third as they fail to build to a climax as effectively as earlier tracks on the record. At their best, O’Brien’s lyrics are clever and witty but at their worst they sound pretentious yet meaningless, such as on “The Bell”, or even somewhat ridiculous, such as the refrain on “Rhythm Composer”. These flaws are largely redeemed though by a series of strong tracks and plenty of well-executed ideas, including the instrumental interlude “{Awayland}” and the more stripped back “In a Newfound Land You Are Free”. As with the first album, O’Brien’s talent is easily identifiable and, once again, it will be interesting and worthwhile to see where he takes Villagers next. buoyant, followed on by “Pretty Peggy-o”, where Dylan’s harmonica playing is taken to another level. We finally finish displaying Dylan’s talent, if we were not convinced, with “Freight Train Blues”, “Song To Woody” and “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”. This album is a journey of acoustic guitar combined with blues and folk, with his powerful voice echoing through. It seems a lot more country, husky and ultimately American in this album. His use of political and philosophical lyrics, acoustic guitar, harmonica and his dominant voice, built the fundamental platform on which Dylan thrives. No one has replaced him, even 50 years on. This album is a memoir of the past, but its ability to link up and fit so incredibly well in present time is one of Dylan’s many talents; he is timeless.

Photo: Ysa Perez

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The Roots Manuva Banana Skank EP Joel White

Photo: Roots Manuva PR

veryone’s favourite Rodney returns with a characteristically divergent EP to follow on from 2011’s 4everevolution. First tune “Natural” packs a sludgey little punch; a sparser, dubbed out response to the swaggering A$APs of this world, with Roots and fellow Banana Klan MC Kope swapping steadily assured bars about the usual stuff:

The Doors of Then Kemosabe

Everything Everything

Elsie Ward

By Adam Terris

By Jessica Holmes

The former frontman of the Charlatans’ second single from his album Oh No I Love You is so quaint that it could give Mumford and Sons a run for their money. He seems a foreigner to the dynamicity he once had, probably because he’s been in Nashville too long working with Kurt Wagner and he’s replaced 90 per cent of his Brit-pop twang with slushy country rock. It would be dishonest to say the single was a complete miss, Tim has generated something well-intentioned, reminiscent of those good old semi-psychedelic Charlatans undertones, but it sounds more Magic Roundabout than magic mushrooms (even if his hair still has that toadstool shape). “The Doors of Then” appears a much miscalculated musical statement, decent, but not as dazzling as a Tim Burgess single should be.

The peculiar sound of Everything Everything has taken a while to get used to for most people but as their second album emerges it seems many are ready to embrace their unique pop sound. “Kemosabe” is not only a great name for a song; it’s an infectious and catchy pop chorus that will be stuck in your head for days. The wailing vocals of Jonathan Higgs are unusual to say the least but it is a refreshing approach for mainstream music. This song, for me, is a welcome addition to the ‘A-list’ being played on radio stations around the country but other than the chorus, “Kemosabe” is effectively bland. As a complete package, it isn’t something to write home about or tell your friends to listen to; it’s just an enjoyable song. That said this could be a big year for the Manchester boys as they look to give British pop a great shake up with an indie kick.

Mercury Prize nominee and all round recent awards favourite Jessie Ware returns with the latest single off her debut album Devotion. “Sweet Talk”, although not as instantly catchy as the previously released “Night Light”, gives us yet more of Ware’s sultry, 80s sounds and reinforces just how much of a vocal talent she is. Combining lyrics of subtle long-

By Laura Cain

onsidering they formed back in 1999, I Am Kloot have had a considerable amount of time to dabble in and experiment with a variety of music, doing so whilst staying firmly under the music radar. “These Days Are Mine” can certainly be described as a blend of influences and a mixing of various sounds, ranging from a choir to a striking string quartet, the whole punctured by trumpets. This gives the track an overall impressive feel, classing it in an indefinable genre of epic proportions. Howev-

“

Natural” packs a sludgey little punch”

The EP’s overall impression is one of a talent still sparking bright at 40 plus (did I mention he’s old yet? Everyone else does), pointing with promise to a new album in the not too distant future. It is three quarters ace and a further testament to a proper UK hip-hop institution, as if we needed one. More skank soon please Rodney.

Jessie Ware

“

Lyrics of subtle longing with a keyboard melody that you just can’t help but be drawn in by” ing with a keyboard melody that you just can’t help but be drawn in by, “Sweet Talk” is the ideal way to get away from the January blues and taken back to a time of smooth soulful ballads.

Jessie Ware: A bit like Jessie J. Not really at all. Soz.

er, this isn’t surprising when you take into account that the Manchester trio’s latest foray is produced by none other than Guy Garvey of Elbow, a man rather knowledgeable when it comes to producing chanting stadium-fillers.

“

Produced by none other than Guy Garvey of Elbow, a man rather knowledgeable when it comes to producing stadium-fillers.”

There is a gorgeous bass-line that underpins the song. However, in listening you can’t help wondering if all these different elements make the song more a muddle of separate ventures as opposed to one smooth finished product, and whether or not this hurts the integrity of the song.

Photo: Roots Manuva PR

These Days Are Mine

own efforts, “Banana Skank Part 2”; which feels like being pummelled at mortal combat in a Berlin dungeon, all sinister synths and Euro-house fist pumping.

SweetTalk

Tim Burgess

I Am Kloot

willies, being great, hipsters. Similarly, “Party Time” takes a growling UK hip-hop loop, some charming arpeggios and well, not a lot else, as the tightly executed bookends for Roots and Kope’s rolling, laconic verse. Elsewhere, WAFA drags “Banana Skank”, originally a full band singalong on Roots’s aforementioned 2011 LP, through various stages of echoing techno and house glory. There is a sub-bass under there that I am trying to avoid calling ‘tasty’, but it is. The remix ends with perhaps my favourite synth-bongo wig out of 2013 so far. Perhaps. It is fantastic anyway, particularly when compared to Rodney’s

Photo: Jessie Ware PR

Singles

I Am Kloot: Scott Parker, Jack Wilshere and Frank Lampard a few years after retirement? Just me then.

29th January 2013 33 www.studentnewspaper.org

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The bands to watch in 2013

Merchandise

While She Sleeps

Hudson Taylor

By Stuart Iversen There is something in the water and while it is hard to figure out exactly what it is, it seems to be producing heavier music coming from these fair isles. British heavy metal is making a comeback and leading the charge are Sheffield metalcore band While She Sleeps, who are all set to explode in 2013. Coming off the back of the fantastic This is the Six, While She Sleeps have managed to make metalcore sound new and exciting again, rejuvenating an entire scene. Not since Killswitch Engage released The End of Heartache has music sounded like this, and tracks like “Be(lie)ve” and “Our Courage, Our Cancer”, combined with their growing live reputation, mean that While She Sleeps are all set to smash venues worldwide. With a year of touring ahead and surely major spots at upcoming festivals, these guys have potential to cross over to the mainstream and give heavy music fans a chance to celebrate metal taking its place back on the top of the totem pole.

By Courtney Paynter If you are a fan of folk, or anything raw and acoustic, then Irish brothers Harry and Alfie, or Hudson Taylor, are definitely ones to watch this year. Their irresistible harmonies and unpredictable melodies give a fresh take on a folky pop sound. This is epitomised in their EP Cinematic Lifestyle, where there is variety and uniqueness to fit every mood.

After cutting their teeth away from the limelight of the hipster swamp, New York, Tampa, Florida trio Merchandise formed way back in 2009 and since then have quietly honed a sound that is now ripe for international attention. Together with best friend and guitarist Dave Vassalotti and bassist Patrick Brady, Frontman Carson Cox displays his Morrissey-esque voice and snarling charisma creating a sound more like the indie bands of rain-soaked 80s Britain than their sun-kissed homeland.

“

Catchy lyrics are not predictable, but energetic, with lead vocals providing an expressive and raw acoustic vibe”

Catchy lyrics are not predictable but energetic, with lead vocals providing an expressive and raw acoustic vibe, this being enhanced and softened by the melodic harmonies. Their songs, never overdone or overworked, are dynamic and memorable. To get a feel for their sounds, download a free download from their official website.

“

Creating a sound more like the indie bands of rainsoaked 80s Britain”

Having moved away from the DIY hardcore punk bands they frequented in their youth, last year’s Children of Desire LP proved the band to be contenders in the big leagues, their expansive and often psychedelic leanings attracting swathes of label attention on both sides of the Atlantic. They’re very keen to spend a lot of time on this side of the pond as well, with tour plans being drawn up for spring. Keep your eyes peeled.

ENCORE MAGAZINE

By Joe Smith

The Palma Violets: Just as sweet and perfumed as their namesakes

Palma Violets By Kate Walker With their debut album set to be released next month and a host of NME articles (and a place in the 50 best tracks of 2012) dedicated to their new-found brilliance, Palma Violets aren’t just the ones to watch, they’re the ones the guys want to be and the girls want to date. The four-piece from Lambeth, London, have received much attention online, and were nominated for the BBC’s ‘Sound of 2013’ award at the end of last year. They also garnered

much interest after an interesting performance on Later...with Jools Holland.

“

They’re charming, rugged, and a little bit mysterious”

There’s something about hearing a new record with spark and originality that can make you smile and brighten your day that little bit more – and by their sounds thus far, they’ll do just that - effortlessly. They’re charming, rugged and a little bit mysterious on record, on stage and even in the flesh.

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Is Tarantino throwing too much political punch? By Melissa Lawford uentin Tarantino’s most recent film, Django Unchained, follows the story of a black slave in antebellum America. It is, in true Tarantino style, both very good and very violent. Indeed, Peter Bradshaw, giving it five stars in his review for the Guardian, described it as, “as unwholesome, deplorable and delicious as a forbidden cigarette”. Clearly, the abundance of gunfire, slow motion explosions and artistic, protracted death scenes, are intrinsic to the film’s appeal. Anyone who is a fan of Pulp Fiction (1993), Kill Bill (2003) or Inglourious Basterds (2009), which most people generally are, will agree that these certainly are some of Tarantino’s signature moves. Yet the release of Django Unchained has brought questions surrounding the need and purpose for violence in films to the forefront of the debating table, particularly in light of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut on December 14 2012. In a recent interview with Channel 4’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Tarantino was asked what he felt the relationship was between enjoying violence in film and enjoying it in real life. He responded by furiously refusing to justify why he thought there was no association and concluded his answer by squealing, “I’m shutting your butt down!” While he came across as inarticulate and fairly mentally unstable, it may well be fair to argue that the question in hand is a rather jaded one. The film industry should not become a scapegoat to disguise the faults of American gun law. For one, violence in films can actually serve a moral purpose. War films,

Django Unchained Quentin Tarantino By Lewis McLellan and Lucy Grundon

arantino’s latest expedition into the annals of human history is his unique treatment of the brutality of the American slave economy and the bloody fists of black retributive violence. Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave separated from his wife (Kerry Washington), is given a chance to attempt to rescue her when he meets

NO HORSES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS FILM for example, provide a violent visual display that works to communicate the trauma of events in our own history that an audience would otherwise remain comfortably oblivious to. For instance, Oliver Stone’s Platoon (1986) is graphic because its purpose is educational. Violent scenes are utilised to give a lucid, honest representation of the Vietnam War. In Django Unchained, a similar aim is manifested. Tarantino identifies two categories of violence within the film: the brutality towards the slaves and the ‘cathartic’ violence as Django “pays blood for blood”. Violence is therefore used to dissect the deep seated trauma in American history that is the slave trade and to highlight it as a tragic, violent cycle. It is certainly undeniable, however, that within the genre of the action film, violence is often celebrated to a point where it is the sole pull factor of German dentist-turned-bounty-hunter Doctor King Schultz (Christoph Waltz in a superb follow-up to his performance in 2009’s Inglourious Basterds).

“

a film. Taken (2008), for example, directed by Luc Besson, was successful simply because viewers were able to live vicariously through Liam Neeson’s adrenaline rush. Little appeal was de-

“

Tarantino identifies two types of violence within the film: the brutality towards the slaves and the ‘cathartic’”

rived from the rather flat dialogue or the questionable storyline. Tarantino emphasises though, that violence in these films is all about fantasy. Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000) builds an entire plot around brutality, but this is done whilst the viewer is transported into a draconian world of danger, glory and politics: it provides protected escapism, not reality. Essentially, film is entertainment

connections between movie world and reality, they would start thinking about how Jackie Chan has most probably hurt quite a lot of people. Instead, an audience sits back, relaxes and revels in the fact that one teeny little man, well trained in martial arts, can outwit hoards of bad guys. Similarly, in the Tarantino scripted True Romance (1993), the violence

er they embark on a scheme to free Django’s wife from plantation baron Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), climaxing, in true Tarantino style, in a cathartic bloodbath.

ly farcical lynch-mob and Tarantino’s obligatory cameo appearance, both of which are kept mercifully short and inconsequential. In such moments, one feels that perhaps Tarantino’s genius is such that the editors are, understandably, a touch too reticent with the scissors. The soundtrack is of course perfectly assembled to complement the action beautifully, featuring the diversity of genres we have come to expect from a director so lauded for his skilful incorporation of music. Tarantino’s vintage form continues in the stylish camerawork and razor-sharp dialogue. This dialogue is executed impeccably throughout by Foxx, Waltz, Di-

The dialogue is executed impecceably throughout by Foxx, Waltz, DiCaprio and Jackson, all of whom give performances that cement their status”

A mutually respectful relationship develops as Schultz trains Django as his professional partner, motivated by his conscience and view of justice and by the romance of Django’s story. After a winter of working togeth-

because it is not real life. Generally, audiences are guided not to pay attention to the physical pain of violent scenes but to appreciate their humourous or artistic sides. If people made too many

Almost any film with a running time of the best part of three hours will drag in places, but virtually every second of Django Unchained manages to be captivating. The exceptions include a grating-

Photo: djangounchained.org

is excessive to the point of self-mockery, everybody becomes so aggressive that all of the wrong people accidentally shoot each other and the day is saved by aesthetic coincidence. It makes an artistically humourous comment that is very far removed from the fact that a large number of people have died. To ask whether there is a relationship between violence in film and violence in real life would therefore be understandably irritating to a film director. A legitimate connection cannot be made between the general anthropological appeal of violent films and real life bad guys. This is not to say, however, that violence is always a good thing in films: if the debate about whether or not it is truly offensive and a danger to mankind continues long enough to prevent more films like Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007) or Scott P. Levy’s Piranha (1995) from being produced, then maybe it Caprio and Jackson, all of whom give performances cementing their status as great actors. It is rare to see four actors this strong, working comfortably together in depicting nuanced relationships. The subtlety and grace with which these complex tensions are portrayed extends to the treatment of the moral dimension of the narrative, which shies from succumbing to the lazy prescription of, if you’ll forgive the expression, a black-and-white ethical judgement. Django Unchained preserves the moral ambiguity appropriate to the context, and it is this element that renders Tarantino’s take on slavery so unique.

29th January 2013 35 www.studentnewspaper.org

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By Sophie O’Mahony

Lincoln

Steven Spielberg By Dan Omnes @danomnes

teven Spielberg’s recreation of the last four months in the life of the 16th American president has an entertainment value akin to watching an Olympics medal ceremony – the unapologetic, perhaps warranted, push for glorification leads to a monumentally self-important work. In the main, Lincoln is an inti-

HOLLYWOOD’S STARRY-EYED VIEW OF HISTORY sweet nothings to in French? Sensationalism: it fills cinema seats. It has long been acknowledged that sex sells, but it doesn’t stop there: violence, heroism, crude humour, unshakeable patriotism, shock value, and mind-blowing CGI effects all ensure box office success and DVD sales. If the script doesn’t have it then the producers will do everything they can to make sure that it is put in, even if it warps the message that the screenplay had originally intended to project. Sensationalism is hardly new, but its presence on the silver screen has only recently reached a level of numb acceptance amongst audiences; the only reaction from them ever being, “Maybe I shouldn’t have taken granny to see that.” Back in 1960 Psycho was considered as outrageous as it was brilliant, as alarming as it was inventive, all because of a shower scene that is considered by

today’s standards to be rather tame. Now, we are watching the Saw series on first dates and grimacing at The Human Centipede from our living room sofa, not really considering that, this time, the violence might have been slightly overdone. But film critics are striking back. Many of this year’s Oscar-nominated pictures have been accused of veering towards the melodramatic, aiming to get viewers’ hearts pumping and their nerves on edge. Quentin Tarantino has gone back to his old, successful ways with the hit Django Unchained, but these old, successful ways mean producing a visual bloodbath and seeing how many times the n-word can be said within the space of two hours and 45 minutes. Zero Dark Thirty’s depiction of torture might very well be an accurate representation of just how far the CIA will go for information, but there is no

mate portrait of the president in the final months of his life, concerned principally with the backroom politics behind the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery.

tact and humble front remarkably. The radical abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) makes for an entertaining contrast with his distinctly vocal and often humorous

“

Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a phenomenal performance as Lincoln, bringing to life with dazzling effect a figure iconic in the American imagination”

Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a phenomenal performance as Lincoln, bringing to life with dazzling effect a figure iconic in the American imagination; the tempered, tolerant tone of voice he uses is particularly noticeable, enlivening Lincoln’s diplomatic

approach to communicating his biting contempt of the illiberal Democrats, who are in his words, “fatuous nincompoops”. Much attention is cast on the president meandering into homespun anecdotes, a rather glib form of

avoiding the adrenaline rush that director Kathryn Bigelow infuses into the footage. “Bigelow doesn’t just depict the hunt for and killing of Osama bin Laden,” critic David Edelstein comments, “She puts it into our bloodstream.”

Photo: filmofilia.com

he story of Scotland can be summed up very easily: once upon a time, an anti-Semitic Australian with hair worthy of a L’Oreal campaign donned a kilt, threw a few stones at some people, bared his naked buttocks to an invading foreign army, and taught the wicked English a thing or two. Not only did he bravely shout “Freedom!” as his entrails were ripped out of his body, but he successfully managed to impregnate the future Queen of England, meaning that all British monarchs since then have had a wee bit of Gaelic barbarian in them. Such is the history of Scotland (well, definitely the most important bit) according to Braveheart (1995). There’s a reason it’s not on the school curriculum. Unfortunately, however, for many people this blockbuster is a key information source on the northernmost part of the United Kingdom, resulting in Mel Gibson’s blue face being pasted onto the window of every Edinburgh novelty shop, and the prevailing belief amongst tourists that every time a Scottish lass gets hitched an evil English lord takes a trip across the border. There comes a point – say, when sightseers go to Edinburgh Castle looking for a statue of Mad Max – that one must question the role of the movie: when telling a story that is based on a real life historical event, does it have a duty to accurately recall the facts, or does it have a duty to entertain? Should the film inform and educate its audience, or should it provide a channel of escapism through which the audience can forget about the daily drudgery of their lives and pretend that it’s them that Mel Gibson is whispering

The problem with sensationalism is where does one stop? As movie-goers find themselves becoming desensitised to everything that is thrown at them, directors and writers are searching for more taboos to break and distances to go.

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Zero Dark Thirty’s depiction of torture might very well be an accurate representation of just how far the CIA will go for information, but there is no avoiding the adrenaline rush that director Kathryn Bigelow infuses into the footage”

Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is saturated with historical inaccuracies and grossly exaggerated characters, but these flaws are hidden behind a moving soundtrack dreamt up by the theatrically-inclined John Williams; those seeking an education on America’s constitutional crisis are better off looking elsewhere.

Lars von Trier will be releasing Nymphomaniac later this year, featuring non-simulated scenes of a sexual nature due to his apparent artistic desire to see a girl aroused on screen. Whether this film will be categorised as pornography still remains to be seen. But it is probably best not to take granny.

endearment. Lincoln, at times, seems to represent one of these pretty stories, with Spielberg’s use of lighting indulging the president’s handsome grandeur. Through the fairly static development, there actually seems little for Spielberg to do except to pour shafts of backlighting sunbeams through windows into underlit rooms – although, admittedly, it is exceptionally well crafted. Reactions to the opening scene perhaps measure the response to Lincoln as a whole, as the president informally addresses union soldiers in a smoke-blown, romanticised camp: is it the fog of war or the swirling mists of legend?

A grittier depiction of the president losing his temper in an argument with his misunderstood wife (Sally Field) when their son (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) insists on leaving for war, is one of the rare moments which concede an imperfect figure – thankfully keeping the film from becoming a pious drag. Day-Lewis is sure to win an Oscar for his absorbing performance as the legendary president. However, whilst the film can be praised for its impressive cast and its ability to make a historical epoch accessible and entertaining, it sadly does not quite manage to avoid becoming a means for America to give itself a glamorised pat on the back for getting rid of slavery.

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Zero DarkThirty

CULT COLUMN

Kathryn Bigelow

By Hannah Drennan @HannahDrennan1

The Last Stand Kim Ji-woon

By Lewis McLellan

rnie’s back and wrinklier than ever in a film where director Kim Ji-woon has obviously picked up, even in his English language directorial debut, the Hollywood knack of substituting a creative or coherent plot with explosions. Schwarzenegger plays a smalltown sheriff looking for a quiet life away from his blood-drenched past as a Los Angeles narcotics agent. Trouble, however, is fast approaching – in an unbelievably powerful car. Gabriel Cortez, a dangerous cartel leader, has been sprung from jail by the most tightly-organised and well-funded drug gang in history. The only thing standing between Cortez and his freedom beyond the Mexican border is Schwarzenegger and his farcically useless team. There are a few somewhat perfunctory jokes with which none of the cast seems truly comfortable. The ex-

Photo: aceshowbiz.com

irector Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal join forces again in Zero Dark Thirty, based on the events surrounding the hunt for Osama bin Laden. As in The Hurt Locker, Bigelow’s not simply waving the American flag but taking a long – two and a half hour – look inside the story that saturated our media for a decade. With alleged extended access to classified CIA information, Zero Dark Thirty purports to lay the operation bare in front of our eyes; from the classic sleuthing that leads the team to bin Laden’s impenetrable compound in Pakistan to the fatal bureaucratic errors that create catastrophic setbacks. And Bigelow has us transfixed. Jessica Chastain delivers a remarkable performance as detached and dogmatic CIA operative Maya, a fiercely intelligent woman who was hand-picked from high school during her tender years. Maya is the mastermind who will uncover the crucial lead that finally brings the team to their

goal. Jason Clarke is also superb in the role of Dan, the CIA operative who initiates Maya into “interrogation methods”. Dan is quick to learn, as is the audience, that Maya is no wallflower, no shrinking bureaucrat hiding behind a desk at DC but “a killer”. Be warned: this film is not for the faint-hearted, in length, subject material or in its treatment of violence. ception is Johnny Knoxville, who finds his usual slapstick groove. Forrest Whitaker also pulls off the role of the bizarrely obstructive FBI director John Bannister with all the aplomb salvageable from such an abominably scripted part. Soon though, the film descends into the gleeful orgy of explosions, gunfights and one-liners that everybody came to see. Sadly, none of these manage to create any palpable excitement, although most of the action is at least adequately executed. The fight scenes are well-choreographed but startlingly arthritic. The chases are shot like commercials for the cars. The gun fights suffer from the usual continuity errors with endless magazines and multiplying henchmen. This lack of ideas demonstrates that this was not a film that needed to be made. Nobody had a burning desire to tell this story. The only reason to make this film, then, was for the paychecks. This ruins the several self-aware cracks about Arnie’s age, which might have been charmingly self-deprecating in a film he was inspired about. But in a movie so clearly designed for profit, it feels like the joke is on the people who bought tickets.

Zero Dark Thirty opens with torture scenes that are truly hard to stomach and have led to controversy. The inevitable fact/fiction debate surrounding the depiction of an episode so recent in U.S history threatens, however, to obscure Bigelow’s subtle artistry. With its effective editing and use of archive footage, there are times during Zero Dark Thirty when we have to remind ourselves that we are not watching a

documentary. It’s great cinema: the infiltration of the compound by the Navy SEALs will make your palms sweat. No cheap and implausible combat scenes here. We are almost inside an Xbox game behind a pair of night-vision goggles. Indeed, Zero Dark Thirty has all the qualities of an entertaining and gripping drama that eludes genre boundaries.

Movie 43

Hugh Jackman, who has a pair of testicles hanging from his neck. Johnny Knoxville catches Seann William Scott a leprechaun for his birthday. Richard Gere appears at the head of a Mac board meeting which is discussing the problems of the new product, the iBabe – a naked robot woman that functions as an iPod. You must never take someone on a date to see this film – each scene is awkward to watch and they will think you are perverse. As gross out films go, however, Movie 43 actually has a fair amount of originality. There’s a wonderfully self-conscious side to the array of product placement, fore-fronted by Apple, obviously, and Tampax (yes, beware). Once you have accepted that it is un-PC, you may well begin to revel in how tenuous and implausible the connecting plot line is. The film is supposed to be absurd and if you don’t like that then please do not go and see it. However, if you think you can handle the absurdity, then at least buy the DVD.

Peter Farrelly

By Melissa Lawford

his star-studded comedy is a Marmite film. It’s well-acted and funny, if you like this kind of thing. It will appeal to those who love films like Anchorman or American Pie, but it’s a bit more extreme so the gulf between love and hate will be that bit more pronounced. It begins when two teenage boys aim to prank a tech-genius younger brother. To do so, they create a distraction in the form of a challenge to find a scandalous film online. The little brother is intrigued by the fact that it is supposedly “even banned in Amsterdam” and takes the bait. The hoax search leads them through a series of prohibited films, introducing one of the most enormous ensemble casts ever assembled. The sketches are each shot by a different director and are all very weird. Kate Winslet goes on a blind date with

ALL FILMS WERE REVIEWED AT CINEWORLD

uentin Tarantino’s films are riddled with references to popular culture, which make them a joy for movie aficionados. Django Unchained is no different, with a wide variety of films appearing to have influenced his latest spaghetti western/Southern period drama/ blaxploitation hybrid. Tarantino himself confessed that Corbucci’s notoriously violent spaghetti westerns were his biggest influence. The title itself is a nod to Corbucci’s much imitated film Django (1966), which was originally banned in the UK for its violence. Franco Nero, who originally played the anti-hero known for dragging around a coffin, makes a cameo appearance in Django Unchained. A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) is directed by the better known Sergio of spaghetti westerns and also features a memorable Ennio Morricone soundtrack. The explosive set-pieces of Django Unchained and the fraternal partnership of Foxx and Waltz are reminiscent of this classic, as is the employment of grainy flashbacks to shed light on events in the characters’ pasts. Whilst Hollywood has famously been reluctant to tackle the subject of slavery, blaxploitation films have not shied away from such issues, which is another sub-genre that Tarantino draws from. These were some of the first films to truly depict the deep-rooted racism that is often overlooked by other mainstream westerns coming from the United States. Much of the latter half of Django Unchained owes a lot to Mandingo (1975), which featured a plantation owner who forced his slaves to take part in bare knuckle fights. The film billed itself as “The first true motion picture epic of the old South” which may well have been a dig at the romantic depiction that the South received in Hollywood films such as Gone With the Wind (1939). Aside from the spaghetti western, Battle Royale (2000) gets a reference with the use of over the top comic-style gory violence, along with the huge body count. Rather inevitably, both films have unfairly received negative attention for this from the media. However, the publicity that moral outrage creates usually bumps up the numbers of those going to the cinema to see what all the fuss is about.

Lewis Hurt

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Bob Servant, Indepedenent

Kavos in chaos

BBC Four

By Heather Davidson

Funny Business BBC iPlayer

By Michael Hannan

ver had a hankering to learn more about the commercial aspects of comedy? How the role of major industry players can help turn local circuit nobodies into nationally famous superstars? You’re in luck. BBC2’s new documentary Funny Business is dedicated to just that: the business of being funny. Rags to Riches, the first of three episodes, examines the influential role corporate gigs play in many comedians’ careers, and the huge industry that has sprung up behind the scenes to connect performers with corporate clients. It then moves on to discuss the ethical dilemma of comedians starring in TV advertisements. Is it wrong for comedians to ‘sell out’ for the large sums of money such advertisements give them? Should it be considered selling out at all? They’re not entirely unreasonable

Alan Peebles/BBC

Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures

onestly, theres not much to say about Bob Servant, Indepdendent. It’s ostensibly a comedy, but it’s not really funny. It doesn’t have much to say and what it does isn’t particularly interesting. It’s the televisual equivalent of a motorway service station sandwich – fine at the time, a bit bland, maybe, but it’ll do, then an hour later you don’t remember anything about it. Well, I suppose if you were to sit down and really try, you might come up with Brian Cox’s (no, not that one) performance as the titular Bob Servant – the dollop of chutney in a soggy ploughman’s of a show. The show revolves around Bob’s attempt to be elected as MP for the Dundee suburb Broughty Ferry. We see the start of his campaign in this opening episode, but much of the humour that might come from his bungling efforts on the campaign trail gets squashed by a leaden script and supporting cast. Bob himself is the only thing that really works, which isn’t too surprising given that the premise is more or less

just a showcase for the long-standing character. Bob Servant began life in 2006 as the online alter-ego of journalist Neil Forsyth. He would reply to spam emails in character as the aging Dundee business tycoon, leading prospective scammers into increasingly bizarre and length email exchanges which later grew into a book and a BBC radio adaptation. BBC Radio has a long, illustri-

uous history of helping comedy and occasionally even moving it to television screens. Flight Of The Conchords, Little Britain, Miranda, The Mighty Boosh, Have I Got News For You and many more all spent time on the wireless in some form or another. As such, radio is often seen as just another stepping stone on the well-worn comedy path from Footlights to the Fringe to TV. But why should it be? It might seem obvious, but radio

and television are vastly different mediums. Some things just don’t work on television. Maybe they’re too niche or they would be too expensive to produce or their format simply wouldn’t fit. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It only becomes one when they’re forced onto TV anyway. Some things just don’t work on television and alas, it looks like Bob Servant, Independent is one of them.

They’re not entirely unreasonable questions to ask, and everyone (it seems) has a different opinion. The line-up of A-list celebrity names doesn’t hurt either: John Cleese, Ross Noble, Rhod Gilbert, Jo Brand, Stephen Frost and Mark Arden are all featured in interview segments venturing their often conflicting opinions. It does drag on, though; a fifteen-minute block toward the end is dedicated almost solely to running snippets from Cleese’s old Video Arts training videos, slowing the pace down enough to raise the counter-questions: does anyone outside the comedy industry actually care about these issues? Are they even issues at all? One would never question a commercial endorsement by a Hollywood actor or pop star, for example; we’ve long since grown accustomed to them. Why make such a fuss about comedians doing the same? Maybe because, unlike Hollywood celebrities, comedians actually use their art – their comedy – to sell these products. Perhaps that does indeed make the documentary’s subject matter more culturally and intellectually valid. All the same, while it’s

an entertaining glance into the lives of the people who make us laugh until we cry, nobody’s going to be crying any rivers over the poor victimised comedians of Funny Business any time soon.

temporaries yet stands apart on its own, not for its bumbling theme tune (Jim Noir, if you’re wondering), or its quirky scoring system, but for its chair and master, David Mitchell. His disapproval and determination to correct everyone is put to good use here. But it is his snarky intelligence and quick-witted retorts which structure the comedy and provide a light-hearted bitterness that drives through the otherwise complete silliness; a young Stephen Fry in the making. The Unbelievable Truth is “the panel show built on truth and lies” in which a comedian lies on a subject (this week’s including wasps, computers, Boris Johnson and Oscar Wilde, naturally), whilst also trying to include some truths that the fellow contestants have to detect: possessing the secret to all of radio’s long-standing shows; simplicity, which is a concept that is not to be underestimated. It’s reliably brilliant but never predictably so, mainly because it has the facade of vague intellectualism. I’m afraid it has to be said; The Unbelievable Truth is a not so unbelievable success.

The Unbelievable Truth Radio Four

By Hannah Clapham Clark @teaandtoastblog

adio 4 is not short of a few institutions. Whether it’s the fascinating mundanity of The Archers, or the 46 year reign of the comedy granddad that is Just a Minute. The station exudes a righteous confidence with such a consistently popular lineup. However, there is a new generation of shows which have been quietly plodding along the road of potential historicity. Amongst these is The Unbelievable Truth. Now in its tenth series, the show is an amalgamation of its great con-

Ever gone on Facebook to find you’ve been tagged in 107 unflattering photos from the night before, then spent a sweaty-palmed half hour de-tagging them in the vain hope that no one saw? Shows like Channel 4’s What Happens in Kavos… are the televisual equivalent of being tagged in your most shameful states. Except instead of a few hundred ‘friends’ it’s 1.6 million strangers, and instead of pictures of you with a triple-chin it’s footage of you with your pants round your ankles, vomiting into a wicker bin. This week’s mesmerising carcrash featured scenes that would make Hieronymus Bosch throw down his paintbrush in despair: vast quantities of garishly coloured cheap cocktails served in huge plastic bowls, a mother-daughter combo on a sexy booze binge, lads drinking their own piss, indiscriminate sex, an epidemic of doggy-style dry-humping, drunken injuries, and more misogynistic t-shirt slogans than you could shake a stick at. These shows (including ITV2’s particularly low-budget-tastic The Magaluf Weekender) look as if they cost about £50 to hash together. You can’t blame channels for commissioning them. In austere times, shows that cost peanuts must be tempting for execs balancing slashed budgets. But it all feels so exploitative. This week’s Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents (BBC3) featured teenager Jemma, daft as a brush with a voice like a high-pitched Lancashire Don Corleone, being filmed jiggling her boobs and simulating sex with a stranger (all secretly witnessed by her parents, shudder). Not admirable, but we’ve all done stupid things (and deleted the photos), except Jemma doesn’t have the option to delete her shame. They now exist FOREVER, gawked at by people who will judge her, call her a slag and shake their heads at the screen in disgust. True, a lot of the young Brits filmed are not behaving well. The way some of the boys regard women had me flinging a copy of The Female Eunuch at the screen in despair. But surely the adults behind the cameras are the worst offenders. Things are bleak for a lot of young Brits at the moment, and people do go crazy abroad. By stripping daft youngsters of their right to de-tag their youthful craziness, the makers of these shows are doing them an injustice. Whilst shows like these should not be broadcast each week, we can’t seem to look away.

By Jacquline Thompson @JacqThomp87

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INJURY Paul McGinley the man for 2014 TIME

utrage reigned across the footballing community earlier this week as Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by chairman and owner Nicolas Cortese in a decision that has been labelled the most ruthless and callous decision made by any human being since, well, the last time Nicolas Cortese sacked a manager. The decision was made after a shock defeat in the FA Cup third round to Championship side Havant and Waterlooville, a team who have won four consecutive promotions since their takeover by trust fund trillionaire Edward Osborne, second cousin to the former chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne. Pochettino’s record has been nothing short of exemplary since taking over from Nigel Adkins, who now presents a phone-in show on BBC 5 Live alongside punditry legends Craig Levein and Steve Kean. The Argentinian led Southampton to three consecutive fifth place finishes, a Europa League final and two Carling Cup victories. He was praised in particular for his initial efforts to save Southampton from relegation in 2013 and for his exemplary English skills, gained after just a fortnight in the country. Disgusted and heartbroken fans flocked to St Mary’s stadium to demonstrate their disgust, with one banner reading: “Cortese: invest all your money in the club then fuck off back to Switzerland.” One fan, who has named his newly born son Mauricio in honour of the former manager, was quoted as saying: “I’m devastated. He was just so handsome, we’ll never get anyone as well groomed as Pochettino ever again.” Bookies have been quick to install recently sacked trio Sam Allardyce, Steve Bruce and Alex McLeish as favourites to take over in a joint partnership, with Cortese announcing that all three had the charisma and vision to take the club to the next level.

aul McGinley has finally been confirmed as Europe’s captain for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, ending weeks of speculation and gossip in which Darren Clarke and former captain Colin Montgomerie had continuously been linked to the role. Fellow Irishman Clarke, vice captain in 2010 and 2012, will one day be given his chance to captain Europe, quite possibly in 2016 in Minnesota, but the time was right for McGinley in 2014. Clarke is still exempt to play in America for the next three years due to his Open Championship triumph in 2011 and, despite some high profile players pushing for his appointment at Gleneagles it has been decided that McGinley’s exemplary record as Seve Trophy captain and two time Ryder Cup vice captain means he has just shaded it this time around. Continental Europe were expected to win the trophy comfortably in 2009 and 2011 but McGinley led Great Britain and Ireland to glory on both occasions. The case put forward for Montgomerie to retake the captaincy was a more curious one. Although the Scotsman oversaw victory in 2010, the margin of success was small. A scoreline of 14½-13½ was not as wide as expected, with Europe having what many regarded as their strongest ever line up against an unfancied American side.

The FA’s to do list By Amanda Scribante @amandascribb88

n 2009, as the relatively short stint of Ian Watmore as Chief Executive of the FA came to an end, numerous issues were put forward as the main challenges facing the organisation and English football as a whole. These included improving discipline and respect for officials on the field and revitalising the ever dwindling on-field performances of the national side. Whilst the Respect campaign yielded some positive results, the national side remains a long way from being considered challengers for major trophies, and as the FA celebrates

Photo: theprovince.com

By Phil Smith @Phil__Smith

By Chris Waugh @ChrisDHWaugh

This analysis may seem harsh but victory was only secured in the very last match by the nerveless Graeme McDowell and, if he had not holed his final putt, then things could have been very different. Europe did regain the trophy, however, and so Montgomerie was always likely to be reconsidered at some point due to his influence on the European Tour – a record eight European Order of Merit titles ensures that few hold as much sway. The reason why Montgomerie first became linked to a return to the captaincy was America’s choice of leader, eight time major winner Tom Watson. Watson, who captained America to victory at The Belfry in England in 1993, is a legend of the game and a big personality. Sections of the media came to believe that the correct strategy was to fight fire with fire; appoint a stalwart of the Europe-

an game to take on America’s heavyweight. Despite his aforementioned triumph at Celtic Manor, the brutal truth is that Monty simply was not as exceptional a captain as some of his predecessors. Obviously he was a successful captain because Europe won, but Ian Woosnam and Bernhard Langer will be the two captains whom McGinley will surely attempt to emulate. Both were exemplary in the role; on both occasions Europe secured their record margin of victory – 18½9½. Woosnam’s success lay in his encouragement of his team to take inspiration from Darren Clarke, who played a key role in the 2006 victory in his native Ireland just six weeks after losing his wife, Heather, to cancer. If anything, Langer’s leadership in 2004 was even more impressive. The German took a European team

to the USA and inflicted a record defeat on an experienced American side determined to regain the trophy. Langer’s ability to pair complimentary players in the foursomes and fourballs was unrivalled and McGinley should take note of that component of the captaincy in particular if he is to be successful. McGinley deserves his chance and has proven himself to be more than capable both tactically and as a motivational speaker in his time as vice captain and as captain of the Seve Trophy team. Europe simply do not have a character as big within the game as Tom Watson to appoint opposite him, so why bother? Immensely popular with the players and tactically astute, McGinley is the perfect man to attempt to lead his side to glory at Gleneagles in 2014.

its 150th birthday, a new spate of problems have emerged to be tackled in the coming year. Recent weeks have seen the FA kick off a year of celebratory events to mark its role in governing English football, but many remain sceptical as to how much celebrating should be done in light of the huge task it still faces. Amongst the glitz and glamour

again sky rocketing prices of tickets to feel somewhat dismayed at the prospects in store for the next 150 years. In the recent Arsenal vs. Manchester City game, City fans sent back more than 900 tickets due to exorbitant prices, with the cheapest tickets costing a huge £62. David Bernstein, Chairman of the FA, said: “We look at these things

wages and compete without any external help is the ticket prices because it is our main income.” Perhaps more importantly, it is imperative that 2013 marks the year in which the immensely damaging racial issues of 2012 are put to bed. Much bitterness remains over the inadequately handled John Terry affair. In the aftermath of this case and the FA’s weak response, the Association of Black Lawyers called for a separate union for black footballers, a move that would do much to undo the remarkable strides English football has made over the last 30 years to make football a more inclusive and tolerant sport. Such moves must be avoided at all costs. The FA enters its 150th year in remarkable financial health, but it remains to be seen whether this strength will be used positively to ensure football remains affordable and inclusive.

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The FA enters its 150th year in remarkable financial health, but it remains to be seen whether this strength will be used positively to ensure football remains affordable and inclusive.”

that is sure to encompass the upcoming events of well wishing and congratulations, it is hard to imagine that English football fans as a whole will be quite so celebratory of what the FA has managed to achieve in recent years. One need only look at the once

very carefully and try to make things as accessible as possible for the working class man. I wouldn’t want to see football getting over-gentrified.” Yet to fans, these words seem futile, especially in light of Arsene Wenger’s justification that, “The only way we can pay the

29th January 2013 39 www.studentnewspaper.org

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The uncertain future of sports broadcasting By Phil Smith @Phil__Smith

port is a pastime wrapped in a permanent nostalgia, aided often by those who tell its greatest stories. These stories are made great not necessarily by the achievement or action itself, but rather by the drama, passion and excitement that accompanies them. When we think of our favourite sporting memories, they are often inseparable from the commentary and storytelling that comes with them. Take last season’s Premier League dénouement, for example. Stop someone on the street and ask them about Manchester City’s winning goal, most will probably simply shout

‘AGUEROOOO!’ at you, as Martin Tyler memorably did. The death this week of the Guardian’s great sportswriter Frank Keating was a timely reminder that sport needs its great storytellers now more than ever, in an age when our sports are invariably awash with money and wages unimaginable to the working class communities where they began. The art of sports broadcasting is coming under consistent threat by network insistence on employing former professionals to lead coverage. Whilst some, like Gary Neville on Sky Sports or Rahul Dravid on Test Match Special (TMS), have provided unparalleled insight into playing at the highest level, many have simply demonstrated inflated egos and attempted to turn

sports broadcasting into a farce, with controversial, shot jock type analysis the order of the day. Take 606, for example, once a great British sporting institution, recently reduced by Robbie Savage’s egotistic and ineloquent style into a shouting match with little reasoned debate. It is a trend that threatens what is already a stretched relationship between disillusioned fans and overpaid professionals.

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Current trends threaten what is already a stretched relationship between fans and professionals”

Thankfully, standing up for all that is good about sports coverage is TMS. Last month, Brits all over the country set their alarms for 3:30am to listen to insightful, witty and above all, passionate and caring coverage of the

game. The recently deceased pair Christopher Martin Jenkins and Tony Greig, once spearheads of the show, laid down the gauntlet for how we want sports to be presented. One who never played professionally, the other who played at the very highest level, they educated us, but never patronised us. Above all, they shared our passion for the game, something which is simply nonexistent in so many newly turned pundits and writers. Those who never played sport at professional level are become increasingly ostracised and pushed out, but in an era where we find it so very difficult to connect with the sportsmen and women on the field, the need for good, proper journalists is greater than it has ever been. One can only hope that the next generation of Martin Jenkins and Keatings are given the opportunity to share their boyish enthusiasm for sport with us in the near future.

Student prepares for unique race By Mark Horne @TheStudentSport

Photo: funbeat.net

ormally when I wait for the postman it’s for something hugely unexciting. The day that the ink cartridges arrived was probably a highlight. However, today I’ve been waiting for a pair of 18 inch cross-country ice skates. Skates, which in 2 weeks’ time will – hopefully – be helping to propel me 50 miles from Uppsala to Stockholm in Sweden’s annual ice skating ultra-marathon, the Vikingarännet. Think of the London Marathon at -10 degrees Celsius with fewer superheroes and more woolly hats, and you’re almost there. You may have heard of it, you may not have. Maybe, like me, a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, you’ve read about it in Ben Fogles autobiography and wondered how it was possible for him to come dead last. After entering on a whim, I began to dig around the race records, wondering how other people from the UK fared in comparison to Ben. I felt sure that I would find someone who had threatened the 2½ hour times regularly set by the top Scandinavian skaters in the race. However, the best time I could find was 4 hours and 9 minutes, set by a man from Glasgow back in 2007. Suddenly a very exciting proposition was on the cards. The chance to set a record, an actual British record in

an organised race where there would be other competitors. Very quickly, something that had started as a bit of a joke took on a much more serious air. Friends were signed up and coerced into buying skates. Christmas gifts from my girlfriend revolved around life-saving devices which would come in handy should I fall through the ice. Orange Wednesdays have been replaced with 90 minute sessions at Murrayfield Ice Rink. Even sightseeing in Budapest was interrupted by the opportunity to spend the day skating in the city’s park. But, before I begin to give the impression that I am a seasoned winter sports enthusiast, it is worth making clear that before this my only experience with ice was a monthly viewing of Cool Runnings and an annual trip to

the temporary rink over the Christmas break. So why have I entered so wholeheartedly into this endeavour? Well, I know we are now safely ensconced in 2013, but the effect of last summer’s Olympics hasn’t worn off yet. Following Christmas, and a very welcome barrage of Olympians’ biographies, I am still in awe of the exploits and achievements of people, who in print at least, appear to be so very normal. Sir Bradley Wiggins’ book talks of taking his son to rugby training or popping to his Nan’s house. Jessica Ennis, like most of us, watches the X-Factor. Tom Daley said his biggest worry this summer was his A-Level results. The Olympics made me and many others want to do that little bit more. But how? We seem to have suc-

cessful performances at the summer games sorted. Most winter Olympic sports require mountains slightly higher than Arthur’s Seat. The Vikingarännet has come along at just the right time. That’s why I’ll be somewhere on a frozen lake in Sweden at 8.30am next February. Its 100 years this spring since the body of Captain Scott, our nation’s finest explorer of the ice, was recovered by a search party comprised of his men. I’m certain that my attempt to set an obscure British record won’t resonate with the public quite as much as Scott’s heroic, pioneering efforts. In fact it might not resonate much further than my immediate family. But that’s not the point, the point is to try something different and it doesn’t get much more different than this.

Meadows Marathon on horizon By Caitlin Watt @meadowsmarathon

ave you made your new year’s resolution yet? You want to get fitter, was that? You’re hoping to lose weight? You want to run your first marathon? Great. Meadows Marathon is here to help. The Meadows Marathon takes place on Sunday 3rd March this year, encompassing a full marathon, half marathon and shorter fun run. If you’re looking to set yourself a goal to keep up the good intentions behind that new year’s resolution, sign up to run any of the distances at www. meadowsmarathon.org.uk. For extra encouragement, you can also sign up with your friends and take part as a team. Everyone runs the distance they choose, then your times are combined to give an overall team time and place. The Meadows Marathon is predominantly a charity event rather than a competitive race, so whatever your ability, there will always be someone much slower than you wearing a ridiculous costume or carrying something definitely not designed to aid distance running. Help us raise as much money as possible whilst we offer you the motivation to keep up your fitness goals for 2013. Previous years have seen the marathon bring in over £40,000 from around 800 runners, with a dedicated charities manager enabling competititors to raise a significant amount as well as improving their fitness. Once you’ve signed up, you might be wondering what comes next. The answer? Training. And the Meadows Marathon Team is here to help. This week, take a walk around the Meadows. If you can walk around it now, running will be no problem by March. Next week, try going for a run. It doesn’t have to be around the Meadows, just see how it feels to run at all. If you’re a complete beginner, get a rough idea of how long you can run for. If you’re already a runner, push yourself a bit further and see if you can run a set distance within a time (i.e. one lap of the Meadows at your hoped race pace). Ease yourself into training though- we don’t want any injuries this early! For more information about the event, visit our website, which has information on everything you need to be fully prepared come 3 March.

29th January 2013 40 www.studentnewspaper.org

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University of Edinburgh 2012-13 Season 394 wins, 258 defeats and 60 draws, win rate 56%

BUCS Standings 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

Nottingham Leeds Met Carnegie Manchester Edinburgh Bristol Newcastle Leeds

1528 1447 1407 1271 1193 1185.5 1066.5

Edinburgh Breakdown 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Hockey Swimming Fencing Basketball Tennis Lacrosse

153 150 100 99 95 94

Photo: EUWHC

Results: January 23rd

Olympic success for hockey girls By Camilla Tait @camillatait

ecently returned from the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Edinburgh University Hockey duo and bronze medal winners Sarah Robertson (above left) and Nicki Cochrane (right) are struggling to adjust back to university life. Fresh from Olympic success, Nicki admits to the Student that “it’s been hard adapting back to reality.” Sarah, 19, and Nicki, 18, were two of 120 athletes picked for Team GB for the festival, with their bronze medal victory over the USA a welcome addition to the team’s medal tally, which ultimately comprised of 19 gold,

28 silver and 24 bronze medals. The festival, which took place in Sydney from 16-20 January, saw a total of 1,700 athletes aged 13-19 from 30 countries participating in 17 sporting disciplines. The format of the Youth Olympic Hockey tournament was a round robin event involving teams from Australia, China, Great Britain and the USA. The first match finished with a score-line not reflective of the game’s general momentum, with the Australians securing a 3-0 victory over the GB girls. The second match-up saw GB face China, but the girls could not hold on to their early lead and China came from behind to clinch a 2-1 win. A convincing 5-0 victory over the USA gave the girls some confidence

for the following day’s bronze medal match. But it was a tough contest, and it took a golden goal from GB’s Hannah Martin to secure the medal. Sarah described this moment her highlight, as it was followed by the whole team running on to the pitch to celebrate their medal success. Both girls expressed their pride in being part of Team GB, with Sarah describing one of her favourite moments as “lining up and singing the national anthem, as it was my first time playing for the GB team.” Yet unfortunately both girls suffered some regrettable set-backs. Nicki, who was a reserve for the team, was told the rules for the tournament had changed, meaning that reserves would not be allowed to play. She

spoke of the difficulty of hearing this news, especially as “due to injuries, there was space on my team, so I had really hoped to get a turn.” Sarah, on the other hand, got her chance to play, but picked up an injury early on, leaving her unable to compete in the latter stages. “It was tough to miss out,” she said, “but it would be selfish to focus on that rather than the team’s successes.” For Sarah, recovering from injury is her main priority, but both girls are positive about their future hockey careers. Both feature in the full Senior Scotland Women’s squad, and are hoping to, in Nicki’s words, “get selected for the Europeans this summer and then to make the Commonwealth Games squad for Glasgow 2014”.

Women’s Lacrosse 2nd vs. Leeds 1st Men’s Football 1st vs. Edinburgh Napier 1st Men’s Tennis 1st vs. Glasgow 1st Women’s Tennis 2nd vs. Heriot-Watt 1st Men’s Football 2nd vs. Glasgow Caledonian 1st Men’s Rugby Union 2nd vs. Heriot-Watt 2nd

5-21 1-0 6-6 P-P P-P P-P

Fixtures: January 30th Men’s Rugby Union 3rd vs. Aberdeen 2nd Women’s Lacrosse 2nd vs. Aberdeen 2nd Women’s Lacrosse 2nd vs. Glasgow 1st Men’s Lacrosse 1st vs. Glasgow 1st Men’s Tennis 1st vs. Stirling 2nd Women’s Tennis 3rd vs. Strathclyde 1st Men’s Basketball 2nd vs. Strathclyde 2nd Men’s Fencing 1st vs. Manchester 1st Men’s Football 2nd vs. Abertay 1st

EUSU President: “This is a great time to get involved at Edinburgh” ByAnna Donegan @SoESportsunion

e are over halfway into the academic year and so far it has been a prosperous one for the Sports Union. Fresher’s Week saw record numbers through the door, resulting in an increase in the number of clubs on offer. We are growing at a fantastic rate and hope to continue to expand what we offer to students this semester. Last term saw the Sports Union

pilot our brand new EDex Series with the Surf Club. This semester, the EDex series hopes to offer every student the opportunity to try out a variety of sports without being a member of the club. There are a range of clubs involved, including surfing and motorsports, and we hope to add many more in the future. On the BUCS front, we have 12 out of 20 teams through to the last 16 of the Trophy, with more matches to be played for the other teams. This year BUCS have revamped their final structure: in March, all the trophy fi-

nals will be played at Leeds Met University on one day. With great results in the bag from last term and more championships to attend, our teams have great potential for success.

144

university to receive his Edinburgh Alumnus of the Year Award. Then in November the Centre for Sport and Exercise had the honour of hosting a visit from our Chancellor, HRH The

Number of Edinburgh teams entered into the BUCS league season 2012-13

We were lucky to be paid visits by some famous figures last term. In October, Sir Chris Hoy, Britain’s most successful Olympian, visited the

Princess Royal and one of our most famous sporting alumni, Katherine Grainger. During her visit, HRH The Princess Royal opened the ‘Katherine

Grainger Rowing Gym’ and awarded the first of the Eric Liddell Scholarships to three of our top performing student athletes. During her speech, The Chancellor commented on the greatness of the vast array of sporting facilities we have here at Edinburgh and also the importance of sport at all levels. Overall the start to the year has been fantastic and sport at Edinburgh is on the rise. This term we want to see more people get involved in many different ways, whether it be playing, volunteering, coaching or supporting.