Huddersfield Student Christmas Issue by Huddersfield Students' Union

Huddersfield Student- Christmas_Huddersfield Student 17/11/2009 16:22 Page 1

huddersﬁeldstudent The University of Huddersfield’s best, and only, monthly student newspaper November/December 2009 || FREE || hslive.co.uk

Winter wonderland Huddersﬁeld Student team up with Left Bank for the Christmas party with 20% oﬀ at their boutique ARTS » 26

Candidates elected with less than 1% turnout

News LGBT elect new officers LGBT Society aim to pave way for other societies by electing a Freshers’ Rep in their October by-elections. »2

Features First decade of HS Richard Wood looks over the past decade of Huddersfield Student newspapers and unearths its history. »12

Sport We stuffed them How UHSU’s Ladies’ football team managed to beat Hull’s second team 16-1 with only nine players. »32

Debate What do you think? Candidates elected after November’s by-elections. Candidate photo: Becki Scott, Background photo: Ben Hall

Less than 1% turnout Ben Hall EDITOR Turnout for the University of Huddersfield Students' Union (UHSU) November by-elections were at a

Low candidate turnout leaves positions unfilled

shocking low, with only 0.89%, of a student base of around 22,000, choosing to vote. The low turnout is thought to be the result of a poor turnout at

nominations, with only 13 candidates standing for 20 positions, across all three campuses. As a result, only the position of Disabilities Officer was contested.

UHSU President Junaid Ejaz has said he is "appalled" at the lowturnout and had hoped for a far greater number of students voting. Continued » 3

for news as it breaks www.hslive.co.uk

»17

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Contact Huddersﬁeld Student University of Huddersﬁeld Students’ Union Queensgate HD1 3DH 01484 473430

Editorial Staff Editor Ben Hall editor@hslive.co.uk Political Editor Andy ‘Frodo’ Blunt politics@hslive.co.uk Features Editor Richard Wood features@hslive.co.uk Music Editor Ash Martin music@hslive.co.uk Film Editor Gary Young film@hslive.co.uk Annual General Meeting (AGM) in October failed to meet quoracy but has been described as ‘most democratic’ in years

Games & Tech Editor Carly Street games@hslive.co.uk Fashion Editor Ellen McIntyre fashion@hslive.co.uk Sports Editor Rob J West sport@hslive.co.uk Media and press releases newswire@hslive.co.uk UHSU Staff VP Communications Zeshan Iqbal su-comms@hud.ac.uk Content Views represented in this newspaper are those of the writer and do not reflect those of Huddersfield Student or University of Huddersfield Students’ Union

Study abroad and earn £17k Ben Hall EDITOR The Leverhulme Trust is offering ‘Studentships’ to support periods of study or research abroad. The scheme, available to anyone with an undergraduate degree who has lived in the UK for at least five years, will pay successful applicants for postgraduate study or research anywhere in the world except the UK and USA. The scheme will pay air fare and baggage allowance as well as £17,000 per annum for the period of study or

research, and will provide students with dependent partners with £6,000. University of Huddersfield Students’ Union (UHSU) Vice President (VP) Education and Welfare, Haneef Rashid, said: “Blah blah blah, do it.” Candidates must be under 30 on 1 June 2010 but can make a case for special circumstances if older. Applications must be received by 7 January 2010 with applicants available for interview in London in late April. Application materials are available from www.leverhulme.ac.uk.

Annual general meeting ‘most democratic’ despite missing quoracy Ben Hall EDITOR The University of Huddersfield Students' Union (UHSU) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 26 October has been dubbed one of the 'most democratic' in years despite failing to meet the quoracy of 100 students. The AGM, chaired by UHSU Chair of the Board of Trustees Jack Dodds, went ahead but no decisions were able to be voted on or ratified due to inquoracy. The meeting, attended this year by 73 students, had previously been held in the Students' Union bar, with free drinks vouchers

on offer for all who attended. The number of students attending has therefore thought to have been democratically flawed. The next general meeting, called to readdress the motions left over from the AGM, and to discuss the UHSU constitutional reforms, will be held on 8 December at 1.30pm in Coffee Bean. Union Chair, Andy 'Frodo' Blunt said: "The next general meeting is 'sexier', with constitutional reform and some motions bound to stir controversy, so quoracy will be achieved more easily."

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Ben Hall has finished his editorial for this month. Now to fail university... Ben Hall EDITOR

nd so it begins again. Only this time it’s worse because whoever came up with the idea of university courses clearly had no inclination towards the phrase ‘even distribution’. Three years, one of which has no bearing on your final grade, culminate in a tidal wave of work. This was all ticking along fine until someone invented Facebook. The perils of a website that emulates shouting every thought you care to broadcast to a room of people, most of whom you don’t even like, are perils that have been mentioned all too many times. But when it comes to academia, these broadcasts become

increasingly perilous to the sanity of their readers and perhaps deadly to their writers. That essay you still haven’t looked at? Matt’s

That essay you still haven’t looked at? Matt’s already finished it. Thankfully, Riyaz hasn’t looked at it...but he repeated first year several hundred times

repeated first year several hundred times, so that’s no comfort. The irony is not lost either, that those who complain most fiercely about such statuses are usually those who enjoy publishing the most. I admit, though I abstain from the practise altogether, it’s a jolly nice thought, on the odd occasion I am ahead, to alert my peers to their impending dooms.

already finished it and Kate’s 1,500 words through it. Thankfully, Riyaz hasn’t looked at it either, and neither has Jason, but they previously

erhaps it is our own faults for looking to Facebook when work should be taking place.

LGBT society ‘paves’ way with new reps Ben Hall EDITOR The Huddersfield University LGBT society last month elected a Woman's rep and, for the first time, a Freshers’ rep. The society supports and looks after the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans students, headed by President Phil Bubb and LGBT Officer Jo Flunt. The society's Man's rep, David Randerson said, "This year we are

pioneering and paving the way of the society. I believe we are one of the first to designate a Freshers' rep." LGBT by-elections, held 28 November, elected Patricia Jackisch as Woman's rep and Georgie Taylor as Freshers' rep. "It's nice to know people like me and that I've been accepted enough within the group to become a rep", Jackisch said on her appointment. "There are a few shy people in the

group and I really want to bring a sense of fun to the society." "We want to raise awareness of the society and the events we are holding," added Taylor. The LGBT Society meet in Coffee Bean every Wednesday at 5.30pm. Over the coming months it will host a 'Donate, don't discriminate" blood drive and LGBT History Month, in February, with a guest speaker.

‘Apalling’ voter turnout elects 13 candidates « Continued from front In the election, Andy 'Frodo' Blunt was elected Union Chair, with 30 votes cast to re-open nomination (RON). Michael Mattinson beat Ben Medley to the position of Disabilities Officer, with a lead of 38 votes. All four Union Councillor positions were filled, with one candidate receiving less votes than

votes to RON, due to disinterest in the byelections. John Pawsey, Saiqa Ahmed, Tahira Alia and Binesh Hafeez. Adam Ingram was elected as Environmental & Ethics Officer with 147 votes, more than were received by anyone else standing. Irfan Raja was elected Mature & Postgraduate Officer, opposed by the highest amount of votes to

RON for any position. Jp Austin was elected as University Campus Barnsley (UCB) Chair and is joined on the site's committee by the newlyelected ordinary member, Vijay Bhutada. Aaron Bizsby, Nazmin Sultana and Mofozzul Choudhury Imran were all elected as University Campus Oldham (UCO) committee ordinary members.

But anyone who says Facebook was built without procrastination in mind is lying. Where is the fun, therefore, in escaping into Facebook only to be dragged right back to reality when you find out that Christiano has more words written than you?

Cuts in Kirklees trigger ‘Youth March for Jobs’ Ian Slattery Chris Parkin Students and young workers from Huddersfield took part in a Youth Fight for Jobs demonstration on 21 October, protesting against planned cuts in Kirklees Council Services. The specifics of the cuts have not yet been announced, and will probably stay concealed for as long as possible for fear of a public backlash, but are rumoured to include at least a freeze on recruitment - if not job cuts - and the closure or privatisation of various services, including those aimed at, and involving, young people. The protest began outside the Huddersfield Students' Union, marched through town and ended outside the council chamber, where the council were discussing up to £400 million in

budget cuts. We were told that we were annoying some of the councillors due to our noise, the announcement of which caused a further surge in chanting and drumming. Local councillor and Socialist Party member Jackie Grunsell reported from inside, “To the shame of all the other councillors, I was the only one to get up and speak against the devastating cuts planned." Youth Fight for Jobs are campaigning against the attack on our public services, and are demanding jobs for young people and free education, regionally and nationally. They have organised a national demonstration in London on 28 November. A coach has been organised from Huddersfield and will cost just £5 for students. For more information contact Chris at u0763416@hud.ac.uk

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Apathy is the glove into which evil slips its hand Junaid Ejaz UHSU President

The expected government decision on tuition fees could jeopardise the future of hundreds of thousands of HE students

read this quote in a book when I was travelling by underground tube in London last week and the first thing that came to my mind was our Students’ Union. I must confess that I am appalled by the byelection turnout and, what I envisaged at the start of the term was a by-election almost like our ‘Main election’. Sadly, despite the fact that we had a lot of part-time positions available, we got only Environmental and Ethics Officer and Disabilities Officer elected. Our Annual General Meeting took place just before the Elections and it was not quorate. You might be thinking that I am just going to moan and groan about student apathy today. But it’s a very harsh reality that students seem to be hardly interested in whatever happens to them. That portrays a very horrific picture of the future to me. The student movement over all is facing the biggest challenge of its history. Students are in more trouble than ever before -

the expected government decision on tuition fees could jeopardise the future of hundreds of thousands of HE students. At a time when far-right fascist organisations, organisations, rock every major city, holding demos’ and humiliating ethnic minorities. Where Student Finance England is mocking emptypocketed students by calling the students’ fiasco

be active. There is an opportunity and platform here in the form of the Students’ Union. Please do get involved. Students moan about the difficulties and I ask them: do they want to resolve their issue by just sitting on the fence? The answer will certainly be no.

n a different note, I would like to congratulate the newly-elected officers in the by-elections and I hope that we shall work

You might be thinking that I am just going to moan and groan about student apathy today. But it’s a very harsh reality that students seem to be hardly interested... a “reasonable” situation. Whereby students have got fewer job prospects after getting a degree. We definitely need to be more pro-active than ever before. We certainly need to unite and shun apathy by participating in the Union. We need to bring back that old-school unionism, where students used to feel proud to be part of their Students’ Union. And this is the perfect time to get involved and

together towards our common goal - to be a politically active Students’ Union. Also, I am in a huge debt of gratitude to those students who filled our ‘Leave your mark’ survey. I had almost 1600 surveys filled in just two weeks and wouldn’t have managed to do it without the help and support of teachers and staff at our

University. We have finally produced our ‘Students Written Submission’ for Quality Assurance Audit 2010. We are going to have two big religious festivals soon. There is Eid, somewhere in the last week of November, and then, of course, we have Christmas afterwards. Accept my greetings in advance as this issue will be the last for this term.

hat’s all from me for this time. You can contact me via email, telephone or ‘Virtual Junaid’ on huddersfieldstudent.com. (su-president@hud.ac.uk or: 01484473425) In peace and Unity

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah, May the peace and mercy of Allah be with you Zeshan Iqbal VP COMMUNICATIONS

nd by the grace of the almighty, myself and the rest of the team have been able to produce another issue of the

Huddersfield Student. Over the last month, your VP Comms has been attending meetings with the University regarding courses available, value for money in studying at Huddersfield University and how we can improve. The outcomes from these are that the university is actually doing its utmost to listen to you, the students’ voice. You ask how? Well by the questionnaires, student’s panels, union councils and

also the AGM. The obvious question is that not everything that we expected or want is provided or available? Answer to that is to come to the General Meeting and student council so that you can make your voices heard and that together we can push for the university to make the changes and carry on good the practises that we desire. Next GM is on 8 December in Coffee Bean. To listen to yours faithfully, tune into RadioHUDD every

Monday from 3-4pm. Go on to the Students’ Union webpage and click on to RadioHUDD and enter your university username and password and start listening. I shall be attending the Student Crime Prevention conference and the Black Students’ campaign training conference, both arranged by the NUS.

ere’s a touching but inspirational quote I came across today. I cried because I had no shoes, till

I saw a man with no feet. (Sheikh Saadi Al-Shirazi), Knowledge is power and power is knowledge so make the most of the chance that you have of education as others are not as blessed as us. With that in mind I would like to say; wrap up warm and work hard so you can play hard. This academice year has already been busy but if there is anything that we have or have not done please get in touch with me on sucomms@hud.ac.uk

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Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

Calling all students

Andy ‘Frodo’ Blunt POLITICS EDITOR Your VP Education and Welfare and VP Internal Affairs Officers, Haneef Rashid and Sohail Afsar, are calling out for all of you to contact your Local MPs and ask them to pledge to not increase tuition fees and to ensure a fairer funding system for all in Higher Education. The dynamic duo request this of you after travelling down to London, along with Union Councillor Saiqa Ahmed, to ensure that their personal Local MP of Oldham West and Royton, Michael Meacher, pledged to the cause. The move is backed by the NUS, with both the NUS President Wes Streeting and NUS Higher Education Officer Aaron Porter being at the same event whereby hundreds of students travelled down to London to coincide with the beginning of the review for tuition fees. The review will take nine months to complete and result in a decision as to whether there will or will not be an increase in tuition fees. The campaign led by the NUS, dubbed 'Come Clean on Fees', is

VP Int. Affairs Sohail Afsar and Union Councillor Saiqa Ahmed campaiging in London.

requesting that right now the members of the review explain their personal opinion on whether they think that the tuition fees should increase or not, to make it clear to students where they stand in terms of the likelihood of the end result of the review. The move to put the review together now, so that it will have to be kept off the agenda in the next general election, was also done in 1997, and resulted in a change of office – maybe Brown doesn’t believe in signs, but this reporter does and God help us all if it turns out to be true. Rashid has also asked me to tell all the students out there that Tim Thornton, the Pro-Vice Chancellor (which is

another word for a very high up and important person at the University), has stated that this University does not “automatically think that raising the cap is a good thing” and has also suggested that when decisions are more concrete that the Students’ Union will be brought to the table for a formal stance from the University

as to their opinion – which is definitely a step in the right direction. Fancy getting involved? Well, Haneef Rashid is leading the fight from Huddersfield towards the guys and gals that matter both nationally and locally – he is even planning on going to Barry Sheerman on behalf of the students soon, in the exact same manner as they did with

Visit hslive.co.uk/blogs/editor for more information and interviews with the Sabbatical team MP Michael Meacher pledges to the cause

Meacher. This section of the Huddersfield Student intends on showing the results of his team’s efforts and naming and shaming non-cooperating MPs that concern us all, in every issue until the decisions are made. Together we can make a difference, we just have to stand up and be recognised.

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Politics

Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

New sections, by-elections and sharks with knees

T RON? Who’s RON? Patrick Wilson As the 196 of you who voted in the recent ByElections will know; the rest of you will have to take my word for it; each position in the election had a RON option. Some anti-RON campaigns included the slogans of “RON touches kids” and other such slanderous remarks. However, what I am here to explain to you is that RON stands for ReOpen Nominations, i.e. you don’t want any of the people running for the position. RON is utilised

as a means to keep out certain undesirables and does happen on the odd occasion in elections. Unfortunately, the recent elections saw the RON of one of the Union Council positions, which led to a constitutional loophole and resulted in the election of said person. Despite the fact that nine people voted to re-open the nominations, and five people voted for one Union Councillor. The justification for the election of the Councillor was that there were eight positions open, and five candidates when RON

was included, thus no one could truly be unelected. However if that is so, we here at the newspaper; and other students who are aware of this injustice to democracy; are looking forward to meeting RON in their position on the Council and wondering how RON will vote… If you similarly find this to be an injustice, then please come along to any of the Union Council meetings, dates to be posted on huddersfieldstudent.com, and make sure that you get to have your say.

aking an uncharacteristic step out from my usual passion for all things politic, I’ve decided to play my hand at lifestyle and give you my insight into modern day religion in the Features & Lifestyle section this month, but what I really want to talk to you about is political apathy and disengagement. Sounds boring I know, but after running for Union Chair and being successfully voted in by a whopping 115 voters, with 34 voting against me – all I can say to you is boo! – out of a student body that numbers around the 22,000 mark (that’s 0.89% turnout), I would argue that it needs addressing.

Andy ‘Frodo’ Blunt POLITICS EDITOR So why don’t students care about the elections? Is it because you think it doesn’t matter? Is it a lack of knowledge and interest on your part that gives you this false assumption, or a lack of advertisement on the importance of the elected officers? Either way, this is something that I have every intention of dealing with, so expect to see me around campus, and possibly in your classrooms either in my role as Union Chair, my role as the Politics Subeditor or just a student that cares, because I’m coming at every single one of you 21,804 or more students like a shark with knees… see you all soon.

Cameron's bigger society, smaller state paradigm Jordan Walmsley

ecently, David Cameron has been advocating how he and his party will lead Britain towards a stronger society and arguing why the British electorate should vote Conservatives at the next general election. In a recent article, Cameron sets out his ideas for the future.

He argues that the size of government built up by Labour is inhibiting, not advancing the aims to fight poverty and inequality, and that the recent growth of the state has fuelled selfishness and individualism. With a focus on ‘relative’ poverty (since absolute poverty in Britain has declined under Labour) he argues that the focus needs to shift away from state

action onto social action with the state engineering this shift. This shift will have a two-fold effect: making opportunity more equal and creating a stronger and more responsible society. While reading his article, a thought kept running through my head – “he has a point”. He has identified an issue in that our society Continued » 8

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National news in a nutshell: The ‘Nutt sack’

Jordan Walmsley

hile the Christmas break gets closer for us all our Members of Parliament are very aware that this is the last Christmas break before our General Election. MPs on all sides are preparing themselves for what could turn out to be a very interesting election. And while it is so very important for all parties, particularly Labour and the

Conservatives, to stand together as one and show the British public just why they should vote for them, one story makes me laugh. Europe. A continent, a Union and a thorn in David Cameron’s side, Europe almost split the Conservative party down the middle once again: the Euro-sceptics who do not want to be part of Europe, and Europhiles, who do want to be part of Europe. David Cameron’s pathetic promise to hold a referendum if the Lisbon Treaty was not law before he came to power vanished as the final country to sign the treaty has done so making it European law. So much for a “Cast Iron” promise. In response to the Lisbon treaty becoming

‘Inspiring tomorrow’s professionals’ Neil Mitchell What is a university? Increasingly the answer to this question seems to be that they are a means to an end, a way of increasing employability - a 'job factory'. Tuition fees have reduced the student to a ‘customer’ and the university is forced to bow to ‘consumer demands’ and government targets, this cannot be a good state of affairs. Universities should be institutions for the pursuit of knowledge, not the pursuit of employability. An improved CV should be the by-product of a degree and not the main

reason for attending university, government targets - enforcing an emphasis on ‘customer satisfaction’ - run the risk of undermining universities as institutes for academic research and crippling the advancement of knowledge and understanding. I mention that tuition fees are the cause of this problem, however they are also a symptom, as the problem is a circular one. The fees create a consumer attitude in students, but it is also this attitude which makes it impossible to abandon fees. Once a university

law, Cameron has vowed to pass a ‘Sovereignty Bill’ in an attempt to show that the UK parliament is supreme. Following this new promise, two Tory MEPs resigned and the French call Mr Cameron pathetic. Some good news for Mr Brown but unfortunately our PM, and for the country too (recognising my own bias), Mr Cameron has managed to keep his party whole with his tokenistic pledge. It is a shame Cameron has kept his party together, but it’s great to see the Tory party demonstrating how they are not the ‘progressive' party. The Labour Party have also made the headlines with the story that Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, dismissed the

Governments chief advisor on Drugs after making public his feelings about the re-reclassification of cannabis to class B. In a controversial move, Alan Johnson said he had lost confidence in Professor David Nutt after he criticised the government for re-classifying cannabis for political reasons, not scientific reasons. David Nutt believes that cannabis is not harmful enough to be a class B drug and said that it sends out the wrong messages to the public. Although Johnson has been criticised for sacking Prof. Nutt, one must look at this logically. ‘Independent Experts’ are used by governments to get advice that is not damaged by partisan

politics. This advice is then looked at by the politicians and a decision is made whether the accept it or reject it, based on political beliefs. This is the way a democracy should work. Politicians are elected to decide on issues such as this and it is wrong to suggest that scientists should be able to make law based on impartial ‘facts’. Politicians are elected to make ‘political’ decisions, decisions that are not always as black and white as Prof. Nutt would like us to think. Personally, I think its great for a government such as Labour to make a strong political decision; a lot of their decision making has been depoliticised by ‘independent experts’.

becomes a ‘job factory’ it is no longer serving society as an institute of research, it is only serving the student-customer. This implies that it isn't fair that the taxpayer should foot the bill for the student-customer’s advantage. Universities, however, should represent the nationalisation of knowledge; research in all areas is beneficial to all of society and so it is legitimate that the taxpayer should foot the bill - giving students from any financial background the chance to learn and contribute to research in their chosen field. Obviously in the present economic climate it is difficult to talk about increasing public spending, and it looks likely that the opposite is

going to happen - the cap on fees may well be lifted and the problem exacerbated (also making university inaccessible to some, effectively pricing out students). This cannot be the right course tuition fees of any kind should be scrapped at the first practical opportunity and the concept of the university as a 'job factory' along with them. A decision must be

made between the two conflicting concepts of what a university is: should it be a state funded institution emphasising the advancement of knowledge and understanding or a glorified training centre, which can surely only be funded by the individual customer?

Politics blog: www.hslive.co.uk/blogs/political

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Politics

Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

Cameron’s bigger society, smaller state Continued from page 6

has become too individualised and selfish. But his article is fundamentally flawed. First, he cites the Labour government for the increase in individualism and selfishness, but from the academic work I have done on the affects of British governments since 1945 I would have to argue that it was the Conservative government led by Thatcher that is to blame for this state of affairs – Thatcher, and neo-liberalism. Therefore, he is shifting the blame to Labour and ignoring the implications that advanced neoliberalism has had on our society and the societies of

most Western liberal democracies. Secondly, he argues that the way to rectify this situation is not only to reduce the size of the state is taking that responsibility away from its citizens and making them more selfish, but also to use the state to engineer a stronger, responsible society. In essence, what he is arguing is that citizens need to become more active and responsible and participate more in their communities. This is very true, but how does he propose to achieve this? Well, he argues that devolving power to local level will give more responsibility to citizens and thus make them more

The New Constitution is coming… to town Andy ‘Frodo’ Blunt POLITICS EDITOR Ladies and Gents, Boys and Girls, the Constitutional Reform mentioned in the previous paper; by yours truly; is finally at the point of readiness and will be voted on in time for Christmas! The new reforms have differed slightly from what was previously reported, due to an unofficial decision by the current Board of Trustees. As with all politics, most of the discussion has been done behind closed doors to ensure that the document will be passed in both the Union Council and the Board of Trustees (both of which are prerequisites for the constitution to go the an Emergency General Meeting where the final vote will happen, which is currently pencilled in for

the 8 December). So why should you care? Well, because the constitutional change proposition comes with a nine page FAQ designed by the constitutional reform committee, which says what has changed. This will be accessible online shortly after the release of this paper – so keep an eye out. But, for those of you who care not for reading documents, I can tell you that the changes are entirely focused at streamlining the constitution - well actually it’s increasing in size, but it will explain everything in more depth and accuracy. The move will change the Executive positions, as previously mentioned, bringing the run down of the Sabbatical officers to: President, VP Communications and Democracy, VP

responsible. Without getting into an argument about ‘postcode lotteries’ with regards to devolving power to local government, this is also flawed because more power to local government will more than likely produce in increase in activity from certain sections of society, but still leave those marginalised sections of society on the peripheries of the political process. He also argues that a focus on education will be needed to reduce the decline of social capital, increase equality of opportunity, which will in turn increase social participation. The first argument is flawed and the second is

Education, VP Welfare and Equalities and VP Student Activities. However, the changes will bring about a new facet in the constitutional change process for the future, as by aligning to the 2006 Charities Act and becoming a charity organisation; which was the main purpose for the reform, all changes would have to go through the Charity Commission. Albeit the move is a good one, but the idea of losing some of the control of how the Students’ Union is run on a fundamental level with constitutional change. Granted, I’m not a massive fan of taking power away from the student body personally, but the constitutional change is not only needed, but it is going to benefit the Union, which at the end of the day is what it’s all about.

being played out by the current Labour government. Mr Cameron has a good point in what he writes – British citizens have more become individualistic and less active in society, which can seen as be detrimental, but he offers little initiative of how he will create this perfect society of active, responsible citizens. He is quick to be critical of the Government’s

alleged failings, but appears to have

few answers to the problem. Has Cameron simply found a problem in society that most are aware of, criticised the Government for it, and offered little in the of way change?

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Dear Moira...

Features&Lifestyle

Moira illustration by Kelliann Smith

Send your problems and tales of woe to: moira@hslive.co.uk a, Dear Moir

d of four y girlfrien m sk a sure to I want t I'm not rry me bu a m to rs yea dy. g engaged if I'm rea ople bein e p f ity o rd a t univers I've he married a th g o b in e tt 'r e e g and ther w know whe I should just 't n o d I t u b er and wheth too young sit it out. est? you sugg What can Dave, 19

Peter,

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Dear Moira, I moved into Storthes as a Fresher in September an d, despite wha t all my younger friend s keep on telli ng me, I still have not found Mr. Rig ht. Anon, I’m starting to lose hope at you in finding love on nights for the best th It is probably out to the Stor th and wonder your real name. if Uni relation es Bar have disguised ships are really that ea sy to find? life ching for your If you’re sear est gg Anon, 24 ar, I would su partner in D-B er. th ge to l love life al giving up on a t on you’re still se However, if grow t n’ ne so you do finding someo ays a w al is p nershi old alone, cat ow fall back.

How the Grinch saved the Christmas issue

plus there are a few angry rants I couldn't avoid this month. I didn't want to join them and totally goth up my section, I’m not making any promises for

Richard Wood FEATURES EDITOR

his is the second version of my editorial I’ve written for this issue, I wrote a totally different one last week and, after rereading it, I realised that it was another bad mood, doom and gloom editorial. I came to the sudden conclusion that I must be coming off as a total miserable bastard to the people that have been keeping up with these editorials. This, I thought, would not do. Those of you curious enough to ask, I originally went on to talk about how crappy the past decade has been. I then realised that there was no reason to be such a gloomy git. While there have been some very crappy things happen in the past 10 years it's also been a great period of time. America's first black President and Futurama is coming back- good times. People say you only ever remember the good timesI think I have a tendency to do the opposite. I’ve fought the compulsion to do so this month though,

I originally went on to talk about how crappy the past decade has been. I then realised that there was no reason to be such a gloomy git

My section will now [be bringing you]... going out, money and lots of sex as well as the ‘light news’ I normally deliver.

January, though. The Christmas edition of the paper, a topic I've deftly managed to avoid in anything I've written, is going to bring a few changes to my section. As well as being features, my section will now come under lifestyle, giving me all sorts of wonderful new things to bring to you such as going out, money and lots of sex as well as the ‘light news’ I normally deliver. Also, this being the last issue of the decade I've dug through the drawers of newspapers of the past to create a retrospective of the past 10 years of the Hudderfield Student. Enjoy.

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Christmas time: Mistletoe and whine? Sam Preest FINANCE OFFICE

ith Christmas now a matter of weeks rather than months away, and the inevitable expense of the festive period, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to manage your finances between now and the New Year. If one of your usual new year’s resolutions is to be better with your money, why not start a few weeks early and ensure you have an extra few quid in December. Christmas could hardly be described as “unexpected”, but people will always describe it as though it is a shock occurrence. You don’t have to be Ebeneezer Scrooge, but keeping an

eye on your money can make the midwinter not so bleak. Try some of these festive money-saving tips. Check your bank balance every day, this can prevent any nasty shocks and make sure you always know what condition your bank balance is in Rather than buying presents for friends in the same position as you, why not agree to not buy presents for each other this year. This means you won’t end up with any presents you don’t want, and won’t have wasted money on unnecessary presents. Offer to do jobs for friends or family members instead of buying presents, for example - an evening of baby-sitting If you are buying presents, look for the cheapest possible way of

buying them, such as the internet. If you plan your presents plenty of time in advance, this saves you rushing round on Christmas eve and spending lots of cash on them Buy your Christmas cards and wrapping paper for next year from discount shops in January when the prices are rock bottom Use online Christmas cards instead of real ones, they’re free and the real ones only end up in the bin by January Make a budget for yourself from now until the New Year; remember your social life may be busier over Christmas.

budgeting, debt advice and help with the Access to Learning Fund. If you like an appointment you can phone on 01484-471130, or email any queries to studentfinancialsupport@ hud.ac.uk. The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) is still open for applications, more details can be found on the university website or by asking at the student finance desk on level 4 in the Central Services Building. ALF is a hardship fund, and any awards made from the fund would be nonrepayable. The fund is discretionary so an award isn’t guaranteed – please note; the fund isn’t there to help with the cost of Christmas presents.

he student finance office can give advice on

Crazy religious people. Please keep it to yourself...

fter reading a recent comment on one of my blog articles on hslive.co.uk; which talked about, and I quote, “a parable from the good book”; I literally cringed. Why, oh why do we have these crazy people who quote scripture to other people that they don’t even know? It just sincerely annoys me. But please don’t misinterpret my intent. Little known to almost everyone who knows me – which, in essence, makes this one hell of a public coming out event – I am a Christian and have been for the majority of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way, shape or form ashamed of my lifestyle choice or hiding it from the world, but I have

never been asked about my religious beliefs and I just don’t feel the need to project my belief system onto any of you as the commenter on the blog does (well until now). Why? Because I think, like many others, that religion is another word for a belief system, and that my belief system is based on my beliefs, so what relevance does it have to you? So what am I getting at here? Christianity has a bad press - all religion does to be honest. And I would argue that it is because of these people who insist that they have to tell you why you should love Jesus when you just don’t ask for it. If someone asked me “Frodo, why do you believe in the Christian

faith?” or something to that extent, I would tell them that I think that there has to be something else out there, there has to be another life after this or what the hell is the point in this one? Studying for the first 21 years or more followed by 40-50 years of constant work and the inevitable failure of parts of my anatomy to be followed by nothing? There’s just no point to that, unless there’s something else. And no, I don’t believe that all of the scripture is meant to be interpreted as facts that happened. I see it as metaphors for how to live your life, based on basic virtues for living a good life. So what I’m getting at, if I’m honest, is that you don’t have to feign to be an atheist

because you disagree with these crazy religious people. What they preach isn't what Christianity is about, and religion is a lot more personal and individual than you’d think. You don’t have to go to church to be Christian, you don’t have to read the Bible regularly, you don’t even have to pray every night. All you have to do, is follow the life you believe and see what happens.

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Features&Lifestyle

The first decade of Huddersfield Student Richard Wood FEATURES EDITOR

fter ten(ish) years and 60 issues the Huddersfield Student is still running strong. Starting in September 2001, copies of the Huddersfield Student have been littering the university grounds ever since. While not technically an anniversary, it is the end of which the

Student has existed in some shape or form. So I’m going to take you back to the past to show the ups and downs of Huddersfield Student. The first edition of the Huddersfield Student was a September/October issue in 2001 under the then Editor, Dan Tanner. Tanner was the brains behind a controversial magazine called ‘29%’named for the student

drop-out rate of the 2000/2001 academic year. His first editorial begged for people to take more of an active role in university life and become contributors for the newspaper. Some things, it seems, never change. Tanner saw himself as something of a crusader against the failing standards of his university. He pointed the problems and made the statement

that if a football club was failing, the manager was sacked, he let readers draw their own conclusions. Unfortunately Tanner only managed to produce three issues before resigning due to the heavy workload of having to repeat his first year, a stinging example of the cause he was fighting for, or just another student who couldn’t moderate his drinking. Sadly, those

records have been lost to the ages. December 2002, the Huddersfield Student, that had at this point only been running for just over a year, was put up for two Independent National Student Media Awards for both “Best Small Budget Publication “ and “Best Travel Writer”. It eventually won the Runner Up prize for “Best Small Budget

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Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk Publication”, the first time the university had won a prize for a publication. We will just have to outdo them this year.

agged. The most controversial front cover the Student has ever displayed. May edition of 2003 of the Student covered a story entitled ‘Apathy Rules’ making comments about the lack of interest students took in applying for part-time sabbatical officer positions, the current Union president felt the article was too negative and changed parts of the article without the editor's knowledge. The editorial team were outraged and produced the issue seen here, bringing their rights of freedom of press into question. Censorship like this hasn’t

happened since, but it’s a reminder to the newspaper that it isn’t a part of the Union and should be able to negative report stories if they

are true without fear of censorship. The face of the university was reviled, Patrick Stewart agreed to his first term as the chancellor of Huddersfield University. Giving new appeal to the university, I imagine it was the deciding factor for many students when deciding which university they chose to attend, myself included and a new era had begun. The Huddersfield Student hit its 50th issue in April 2008, looking a lot more refined than it had in previous years, the newspaper was really becoming a

reputable journal of opinion, even if it is only amongst a small amount of students. The 2008/2009 academic took the Huddersfield Student in a new direction, changing the format in early attempts by the current communications officer/editor to make

the newspaper into an entertainment based magazine. Sadly, due to financial problems and problems with the student’s

current printer,

the

magazine plan never happened and when last year's editor came into power he had to work with the Frankenstein’s monster of a Newsazine that he had been left with. This year the paper changed again, with new printers came a new format, the entertainment gone to the toilet and replaced with the good old classic newspaper format. The smaller, sleeker design made the paper easier to pick up and read and the brand new, crack team of sub editors turned the paper into something the university can be proud of. I’m obviously biased, but if a person in my position can’t do that then I don’t know why I spent too much time writing this article.

Editor’s choice The first issue 29% magazine became The Huddersfield Student in the beginning of the 2001/2002 academic year. The first issue, standing at just 12 pages, was not the same Huddersfield Student as it is now - with a great emphasis on music finding its way in from its predecessor. Though only eight years old, there is something about the yellowed pages that seems to come from the distant past. The picture of Harold Wilson building and the general layout seems to reflect something - something very simplistically newspaper-esque - that has been missing from issues since.

Gingers in Motion The Wikipedia entry for the University of Huddersfield claims that it is "not a very active Students' Union". The Ginger Representation Motion, proposed by former VP Communications Adam Clarke, however, begs to differ. At a time when an EGM will decide whether the SU will elect a 'Women's Officer' it seems all too appropriate that a motion mocking the overly-sensitive agenda of representation set by NUS should grace the front page of our underappreciated rag, and receive national acclaim to boot. At the time I was first

looking through the archives, an article of mine arguing against the positive discrimination of a Women's Officer was not printed. Back in 2004, they had the right idea.

September ‘09 This will forever be one of my favourite issues. Solely because it was my first in the editing seat of a newspaper slowly leaving its infancy, and one that had either halted, or failed to take off in the first place. Though I had worked solidly on the first edition for around two weeks, seeing it printed was like seeing it for the first time. We still have a long way to go, as a community or editors, writers, photographers, proofreaders and readers, but this year we're making a good few year's worth of progress. The newspaper is looking more professional and it's moving forward. I keep telling the team that this year we're winning an award whether they like it or not. Now all we need is the rest of the student body to believe us, rally behind their newspaper and continue the growth we are starting and seeing through.

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What’s On?

Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

November&December 2009 20-29 November

4 December

Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival This year’s Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (HCMF) brings a broad sweep of international composers, performers and partners to the town from 20 – 29 November, with a packed programme of concerts, music, theatre, installations, multi-media presentations, workshops, talks & films. Selected events are now on sale, including full Festival Savers and Weekend Savers. The full programme will be announced in early September. For more information and to keep up-to-date with the festival visit www.hcmf.co.uk

New Perspectives on Britishness Eminent historian and Member of the Scottish Parliament, Professor Christopher Harvie, has been invited by the university’s Academy for the Study of Britishness as part of its ‘New Perspectives on Britishness’ free public seminar series. He will be asking whether there was ever a British ‘moment’. Pre-booking requiredj.matthews@hud.ac.uk or 01484 471455 Huddersfield on Ice re-appears 3 December

Firth Street FREE

9&10 December

Comedy Cellar

3 Dec - 3 Jan

Huddersﬁeld Piazza Weekdays: 3.30-9pm, 11am9pm (from 18 Dec) Weekends: 9.30-9pm £3.50-£6 (£2 oﬀ- own skates)

Festival of Light Every year Huddersfield hosts a huge street theatre show featuring international performers and a fantastic firework display. This year's show features French performers Transe Express and will include arial acrobatics, live music and an army of local drummers. This is one of Huddersfield's biggest annual events and attracts thousands of people For more information visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/festi val or call 01484 223200. New Street, Huddersﬁeld FREE

Lawrence Batley Theatre £ VARIOUS

Huddersfield on Ice There are a range of skating sessions including speed skating and beginners sessions and to save you some money we've introduced a deal for students, so come and skate 8-9pm on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday to take advantage (make sure you bring your NUS card) For more information visit huddersfieldonice.co.uk

4 December

Festival of Light is Huddersfield’s biggest annual event

Christmas Special The Comedy Cellar can positively guarantee a ‘White Christmas’ as we feature the sublime Andy White for a two night run. He last appeared at LBT in July ’08 and raised the metaphorical roof, earning a richly deserved encore and has won The Weakest Link comedians special. Supported by the wickedly witty songs and patter of Ruth E Cockburn, get ready for a feast of yuletide comedic cheer... Lawrence Batley Theatre £5 w/ NUS

It’ll be an ‘Andy White Christmas’ at the LBT Comedy Cellar Christmas Special

Hosting or attending? Tell us at: newswire@hslive.co.uk

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Comment&Debate

Communication, not apathy, is to blame for poor turnout

F Ben Hall EDITOR

It is easy for anyone to blame apathy but, in reality, the blame lies with a lack of engagement

Has music really died? Rosie Marsh

rom the start of the 2008/09 academic year, University of Huddersfield Students' Union (UHSU) President Junaid Ejaz, in his then role of VP Internal Affairs, would not let students forget that by-elections were coming and that anyone and everyone was eligible to run. As he ascended the SU Exec ladder to President, it would appear no-one took his place in ensuring the profile of this year's byelections were well publicised. 30 people took away UHSU nomination packs. 13 were submitted - five of which were in Oldham and Barnsley satellite campuses. In a year President Ejaz had hoped for a turnout nearer SU General Election standards, only three non-sabbatical positions were filled, only one of which was contended by more than one person. Voter turnout was less than one percent. It is easy for anyone to blame apathy but, in reality, the blame lies with a lack of student engagement. I am sure that the SU 'back officers' attempts to build a brand around Union elections has not gone to waste everyone recognises the red 'Vote' logo by now- but

ecord shops are closing, music sales are dwindling and circulation figures for our favourite music magazines are, altogether, abysmal. Music, and indeed music journalism, has lost its mojo (no pun intended). In

there is a lack of communication at the foundations of student activity that is a fundamental flaw in this year's Exec team's plan. As students, we were not properly made aware of by-elections, the process surrounding them or the importance of them. The voter turnout is followed, as stated by Ejaz in his own column on page X, by an Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was not quorate - though wholely more democratic than previous years - and a 'Keep the Cap' campaign that saw just over 500 students of around 20,000 place their mark on the 'Wall of Debt'. Thankfully, figures for the 'Leave Your Mark' survey are slightly more impressive, but was it perhaps the input of the SU:PR team that encouraged such a fantastic response? Apathy exists among students but it's not set in stone. It's a large task, but it can be changed a little bit at a time by simply educating and exciting we students about what's on offer and how we can get involved. Without that simple foundation, the anti-apathy megastructures of democracy we're aiming for simply cannot be built. the glory days of the 1970s the NME had circulation figures of up to 300,000 per week, now it’s lucky if it gets above 40,000 in six months, and this is not an isolated event. Kerrang, Metal Hammer, Q, Uncut...the list goes on and

unfortunately, they’ve all suffered. So what does this mean? Is music insignificant today? Sure, we buy the odd CD and flick through the endless supply of music channels on television, but it seems music is purely incidental. We follow trends and can

listen to Take That and The Blackout with equal enthusiasm. My point is: rock and roll is falling from the prominent position it has enjoyed for so long. Music magazines such as the NME, Q, et al occupied Continued » 21

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Who are the government to say who gets to air their views?

Andy ‘Frodo’ Blunt POLITICS EDITOR

Nick Griffin, recently featured on Question Time, should not have been isolated by the other panelists

The BBC is supposedly a sovereign media organisation...the government should not have a say in who goes on the show [or] be allowed to ‘kick off’ in public about it.

elsh Secretary Peter Hain has recently been quoted, saying he believes Nick Griffin feels that the BBC have given him an early Christmas present, and that he should not be allowed on Question Time. The question came to my mind: who the hell is he to say who should and should not be on the BBC? The BBC is supposedly a sovereign media organisation, therefore the government should not only not have a say in who goes on the show, but it’s arguable that they should be allowed to ‘kick off’ in public about it. After all, what’s the point in a sovereign media organisation which reports the news having to do what high-up officials say? If that rule was

followed, we would never get honest news. In the same way as the Huddersfield Student has to, the BBC will have to report the truth and offer different sides of an issue, irrelevant of who it upsets and offends, because that is its duty. However, when watching it I became increasingly annoyed by the format of the ‘debate’. Don’t get me wrong, I dislike the BNP more than most, but the format did in actuality give the BNP an early Christmas present. They isolated Nick Griffin and bullied him for an hour, which is simply going to increase his defence and reinforce the BNP follower’s determination to the cause. Firstly, a chair of any sort has to be unbiased and fair. David Dimbleby

simply ripped into Nick Griffin almost constantly, barely giving the man time to really skirt around the question, something afforded to the other panelist by Dimbleby. Furthermore, the content was based almost exclusively on the BNP. The show is meant to be about issues – not a scathing attack on a guy who looks like he’s a product of inbreeding and was constantly shaking with what I can only imagine is fear from the academic lynch mob in front of him (I guess now he knows how it feels). The show should have talked about the issues of government, not just immigration policy. We all know how racist the BNP’s policy is – why not ask him about healthcare provisions and watch him

go “errrrrrr”? Short of their immigration policy, the BNP have diddleysquat. The BBC were well within in their rights to have Nick Griffin on the show, but I believe that the format benefited the BNP and was detrimental to viewers. Toward the end it was pointedly obvious that very few issues were really touched upon. I have always been a promoter of the openplatform policy, purely because when you give these people the floor to speak, they really show their true colours, and people see the crazy spilling out of them. The BBC failed in that objective because they couldn’t maintain a very basic professionalism (though I can’t really blame them for doing so).

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Entertainment

Partyin’ Hard with Bowling For Soup this one Ash Martin MUSIC EDITOR Huddersfield Student: Are you enjoying being back in the UK? Erik Chandler: Always enjoy being back in the UK. The audiences here are unlike anywhere else in the world. That’s what keeps us coming back. HS: You’re playing 12 dates in a row, isn’t that going to be quite exhausting? EC: Well you know, you get through it, but we tend to make it hard on ourselves. HS: Partyin’ hard? EC: Yeah that kinda takes it out of you a bit. We somehow manage to pull it together by showtime every night.

HS: My Wena is the single pushing this album, was the video fun to make? EC: [Laughs] That video process was a little hectic. It was like 114 degrees that day and on top of that we did it at our drummer’s house. Our idea of what we were doing with the video was this low budget, 'guy with a handycam' kinda thing. We pulled up to Gary’s house that day and there were two trucks outside and they’d laid down a track for a dolly on the sidewalk out front. We were like ‘oh shit man Gary’s going to be pissed’. We get inside and there’d been tons of crew people in and out all day and as soon as I walked into the house and saw the look on his face, I was like ‘oh yeah Gary’s pissed’. But it ended up being fine.

HS: How are the fans taking to the new HS: What’s your favourite track on this album? EC: Man it’s awesome. album? The reaction to EC: On the new songs is the new fantastic. The one? ‘I fact that it’s don’t wish only been out you were Even friends of for a little bit dead ours all of a and folks know anymore’. sudden had the words and Jaret coelectronic are singing wrote that tracks on their along to all the with Tony album...We new stuff, really Scalzo were like makes you feel from the ‘what’s good. band happening?’ Fastball. They’ve

Bowling For Soup at what looks like some sort of awards ceremony

written songs together that have been on previous albums, but I think that one was the perfect marriage of their two writing styles. It was really cool. HS: Is the opening track ‘Really Cool Dance Song’ a reflection of you guys being annoyed at the whole scene, or is it just a bit of fun? EC: That song was written as a commentary. It’s not good nor bad, even friends of ours all of a sudden had electronic tracks on their album and stuff. We were like ‘what’s happening?’ But then as we were recording it in the studio, we’d all sit around and start looking at each other like ‘this is actually a

really...cool...dance...song ’. ‘Did we just do what we’re talking about here?’ HS: So you think the kids are still into the punk rock? EC: Oh yeah and I think not to sleight anyone who’s made that shift [into electronica] - that’s not us. HS: Am I right in thinking you’re making a three-part documentary? EC: Yeah, but it’s been put on the shelf for the moment because of touring. We attempted to do it this summer and it was really crazy because we couldn’t get anyone’s schedules together. We all knew that we were about to head back out on the

road and everybody was trying to get their family shit together. I live in South Carolina and all the other guys live in Texas and we were trying to get all that configured and arranged, then film crew time. We just couldn’t make any of that fit. It’s still on the books, we’re still working on doing it, but for the time being it’s shelved. It will happen it’s just going to take a little while. It will probably be later next year before we actually get around to doing it. HS: How would you some up the new album [Sorry for Partyin’] in three words? EC: Fan-fucking-tastic.

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2009: Album of the year

Rosie Marsh

irls' are Christopher Owens and Chet “JR” White and, as band origins go, this one is so heart-achingly tragic, and yet optimistic; their story almost as gripping as their music. Owens grew up in the 'Children Of God' cult, which tore his family apart, killing his older brother and forcing his mother into prostitution. Owens fled the cult and escaped to Texas, where he was discovered by a millionaire who took him to San Francisco (where

the 'Children Of God' cult, which tore his family apart, killing his older brother and forcing his mother into prostitution

he met White) and, under the influence of just about every kind of pill they could find, they wrote Album. They encapsulate the sun-drenched vibe of San Francisco just as The Strokes captured New York and the Kaiser’s summarised Leeds. The distorted guitars and gritty production are very nostalgic of the swinging sixties, the obvious reference points being Paul McCartney, Roy Orbison and Brian Wilson; Owens' evocative voice feels like a descendant of every sad nerd genius in pop history. ‘Darling’ is very Vampire WeekendBeatles-esque featuring compact guitar-jangles and endearing lyrics such as, “I was feeling like nothing inside, then I found myself in a song”lyrics that could only come from a damaged soul who’d spent much of his childhood cut off from the real world. 'Lust For Life' is another

“You know where the orange tour bus is?” Ash Martin MUSIC EDITOR

autobiographical memoir, “I wish I had a father...maybe then I would have turned out alright”. It is evident this guy has a lot of issues;

The distorted guitars and gritty production are very nostalgic of the swinging sixties implying worlds of hurt far beyond simple breakup songs. 'Big Bad Mean Mother F*ckers' and 'Summertime' are ones for the typical indie-Cindy ‘scene’ kids to move to on a Saturday night, up there with the stoner student clichés of pot noodles and waking up to find you’ve lost your virginity to a traffic cone. This isn’t a criticism, well it is, but not a bad one. Album ticks all the right boxes.

oday I am going to tell you a story. A few months ago I received an email asking me if I’d like to interview a band playing at the Manchester Academy in October. Not a particularly great band I might add, but a band that caught my attention nonetheless. The prospect of interviewing said band appealed to me as it brought back vivid memories of being a 14year-old, scruffy-haired layabout obsessed with rock music (not much has changed, of course). The band I am talking about is Bowling For Soup, the Texan punk rockers who just don’t seem to want to quit. And whilst I’m not really supposed to write a ‘what’s in this month’s issue?’ piece, I feel compelled to. I’d like to take you back to 25 October (that predates your last few Tokyo outings and a couple of Camel visits I know, but bear with me). Whilst you were presumably nursing your Sunday hangover with a bout of iPlayer, I was sat on the train with a friend on my way to Manchester. We got off the platform to find that the rain had stopped and made our way down to the venue a couple of hours early. ‘Nervous’ isn’t exactly the right word to describe how I was feeling sat on the wall opposite the Manchester Academy, but it’s not far off. After an hour or so of relentless clock-watching, the time

came for me to call a bloke called Dave, who was arranging the interview. “Who’s this?” says Dave. “Urm...Ashley Martin...I’m supposed to have an interview with the band” I reply. “Yeah, who you with?” [Mumbling under breath] “Huddersfield Student...” “Ok, you know where the orange tour bus is?” “Urr...not really”, I confess. He tells me where it is but the noise of people swarming the venue prevents me from hearing. “Well, meet me there in five” he suggests hanging up. I make for the door and the doorman says I can’t come back in, even if I am interviewing the band and have a wristband on and can see my name printed on the guestlist. By the time I found the damn tour bus, I thought I’d missed my interview and wasn’t going to be able to get back in. However, to cut a long story short, I got the interview [see below], managed to have a brief chat with another journalist and rather than miss the show, pleaded to the bass-player and got snuck back into the gig alongside the stage. Bloody marvelous. P.S. to enjoy a similar/notquite-as-exciting-as-Almo st Famous experience, why not send an email to music@hslive.co.uk? That way I’d get another contributor and you’d get free gig tickets. Capiche?

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Entertainment

Self-proclaimed ‘living fossil’ Bruford in action. Photo: Picasa

Ash Martin MUSIC EDITOR

f someone were to direct the words ‘drummer’ and ‘1968’ at you, you’d more than likely conjure up an image of a less-than-reputable looking hippy, with very few intelligent words to say and a spaced-out look in his eyes. That would probably be an accurate assumption in most cases, but not in this one. Bill Bruford of Yes, King Crimson and Genesis fame was definitely a drummer in the late 1960s, but despite rocking out with the best of them, doesn’t fit the aforementioned description (not anymore anyway). To tie in with the release of his book Bill Bruford: The Autobiography, the ‘godfather of progressive drumming’ has been travelling the country talking to students about

his experiences as a successful instrumentalist. "You see before you a living fossil" proclaims Bruford to an eager rabble of lecturers, music students and wannabejournalists. Exuding charm and charisma from the off, he

argue with him. He says it’s like the state of coal mining then and coal mining now: "there is very little connection." Connection or not, the audience are generally captivated by this man, regardless of what era he grew up in or which fashions he followed.

ver the "You see before you a living cours fossil" proclaims Bruford to an e of the hour eager rabble of lecturers, music Bruford takes students and wannabeus on musical journalists journey, displaying wastes no time by highlights from his career ploughing straight into through the use of tales of money, fame and anecdotes, video and witty music. In a way Bruford commentary. It’s easy to almost seems amazed by see that this man has a his own success - "I clear, loving relationship played happily as an with music and it instrumentalist on a drum was his creative set for 41 years. It’s energy that led him towards forming remarkable." Judging by the current his own band. He state of the music industry says "the rock you’d be hard pressed to world hangs on the

idea of manufacturing a product" and "that nasty word repetition", two factors which wouldn’t roll with the young Bruford or the man standing before us now. "Some people are crazed and arrogant enough in some cases, a bit like me, to want to do it their own way" he contests with a boyish smile that you can’t help but warm to. "Not

because they’re being obtuse or difficult, but they really can’t sleep at night." As it stands Bill Bruford is a jazz musician, but who can tell which musical direction he will venture into next? One thing is for certain, many of the people here today were inspired and entertained by one of rock’s truly enthusiastic and insightful remnants.

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Damnation Festival, Leeds Rob Evans

eeds University is much bigger than ours. Big enough, at least, that the Union building can play host to a one-day, three stage metal festival that promises big names in both legitimately good music and ridiculous dudes with long hair.

e descend in to the bizarre subculture that is the metal community, surrounded by denim jackets, silly beards and indecipherable band tshirts, as the unpronounceable Nazxul is black-metalling all over the Terrorizer stage, complete with robes and face paints. We take in as much as we can bear before going to watch And So I Watch You From Afar on the Rock Sound stage. Shuffling on stage, the Irish four piece prove themselves to be the best band of the day before we’ve even seen anything else, with post-rock foundations set to jerking

mathy rhythms and the occasional glimpse of metallic power behind it all. As they throw themselves about the stage, the small crowd is blown away, and they prove that they deserve a much better slot than the middle of the afternoon. Before long, we head to the main Jäggermeistersponsored stage, where girls in orange dresses attempt to sell us test tubes as we wait for Electric Wizard to come on stage. Crushingly heavy marijuana-themed doom metal fills the room and the floor is a rolling sea of hair as Jus Osborn breaks out solo after solo. I am torn between finding the whole thing hilarious and getting caught up in the relentless sludge. Back at Rock Sound, A Storm Of Light’s fauxNeurosis sound is far from engaging, so we wander around, bumping in to members of Napalm Death (we saw two!) and don’t return until This Will Destroy You who, unfortunately, are plagued by sound issues which

meant that most of their beautiful guitar soundscaping was lost underneath a distorted bass feedback. Jesu, however, manage to save the day as, despite main man Justin Broadrick’s failings as a performer, he is an incredible musician and one of the UK’s true legends. Backed by a bassist and a laptop, he twists his guitar in to all sorts of shapes, all of which are rib-rattlingly, room-shakingly loud. We end the day with grindcore supergroup Lock Up (with members from Napalm Death and Cradle Of Filth) who have the greatest stage banter I have ever heard (something along the lines of “Do you guys know about tractors? Because this song is called Christ Virus!”) and inspire an absolutely epic stream of reckless stagedivers knocking out themselves and anyone else unlucky enough to be in their way as they crash to the floor. An awesomely bizarre day.

Has the music really died? « continued from pg. 16 such a huge place in our musical heritage that to be seen carrying one around was like wearing a badge of honour, yet now it appears you don’t have to buy a magazine or travel to the other side of the country for a 30 minute gig to feel part of a credible music community.

Even shows like the X Factor, whose manifesto is to find ‘the next best thing in music...raw talent...a SINGING competition’ fails to do just that, as Simon Cowell proved when he evicted Lucie Jones from the competition in favour of John and Edward. Creating, listening and reading about music nolonger evokes the same

kind of passion and emotion it once did. Even Morrissey, who regularly sent in letters to the NME, said that what was once a driving force that answered to no one is now very much integrated into the industry. Pretentious, political, self indulgent but occasionally brilliant, it seems the unrivalled

beacon of capturing the musical zeitgeist is disappearing before our very eyes. However, there is a flip-side to this. Online music at the click of a mouse, gigs posted onto YouTube, magazines shifting online ...the

big unanswered question now is: how will music mediums drive revenue from these online platforms, and perhaps more importantly, will the passion and enthusiasm for music ever be rekindled? It would appear the cheerleaders of the rock revolution and that passion and need to see a band live today are very low on the agenda.

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Entertainment

The good, the bad and the down-right horrific Gary Young FILM EDITOR

oes anyone else feel like this decade has gone far too quickly? As we rapidly approach the end of the “noughties” (by the way, does anyone know what we’re supposed to call the next

truly appalling rubbish. Some films can be forgiven for their faults budget constraints, time constraints and talent constraints can all contribute to making a ‘bad’ film, but some movies seem to go out of their way to reach new levels of awfulness. Chief among these has to be the current trend for ‘spoof’

Some films can be forgiven for their faults budget constraints, time constraints and talent constraints decade?) I thought it would be appropriate to have a look back at the highs and lows of the 21st century so far.

e may as well start with the best, personal highlights, including Darren Arronofsky’s incredibly affecting Requiem for a Dream, Michel Gondry’s mindbending Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the dark fairytale of Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth and the shamelessly stylised Sin City, directed by Robert Rodriguez. Praise must also be paid to Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass who showed that Hollywood-produced, action franchises are capable of delivering emotional heft as well as jaw dropping spectacle with the Bourne trilogy. f course, the decade also featured some

movies; films such as Epic Movie, Date Movie and Meet The Spartans took the concept laid down by the (surprisingly good) Scary Movie and robbed it of any wit, charm or originality, replacing it with mediocre puns and sight-gags about bodily functions.

ut what do you think? What are your favourite films of the decade? Perhaps you hated Eternal Sunshine or want to step in to defend the good name of Meet The Spartans? Let us know at film@hslive.co.uk.

Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans... mediocre puns and sight-gags about bodily functions

Leon Somi

001 would be the year to mark the first ever film to merge the beautiful game with the wizardry and magical world of kung fu. Directed and starring Hong Kong’s very own hero Stephen Chow, Shaolin Soccer was his first ever film to break into the overseas market with the likes of Odeon showcasing it at their cinemas in the UK. Not only was the film a success abroad but the film smashed box office records in its native country which was later beaten by Chow’s next film Kung Fu Hustle in 2004. Revolving around the conventional storyline of the underdog movie, Sing aka “Mighty Steel Leg” (Stephen Chow) is your average garbage collector who also happens to be an enthusiastic Shaolin master and it is his long held dream to bring the martial arts profession into everyday life.

After multiple failures it is only when he bumps into the “famous” and homeless Golden Leg, with whom he comes up with the master plan of bringing the arts of kung fu to the fields of football. Teaming up with a combination of misfits and his former Shaolin brothers, they all set off on an adventure like no other to thwart the wicked Team Evil from the legendary China Cup. Though basic in its narrative Shaolin Soccer exceeds when it comes to, most importantly its humour, mixing both visual flair with slapstick gags in an effective manner making this film very tough to dislike. Characters that range from the goofy to the outright absurd makes this film a real joy to watch as there really isn’t anything quite like Chow’s style. While the film contains

the essence of a screwball comedy it also manages to squeeze an exciting amount of special effects, Chow manages to weave around both aspects with ease producing an incredible spectacle for the eyes and ears that manages to beat Hollywood on almost all levels. Whether it is the martial arts fusion with football or its zany and always hilarious cast, Shaolin Soccer will have you in stitches from beginning to end and it is no understatement that this is the most entertaining football film ever made. For anyone with a mild interest in martial arts flicks or football, this film is unquestionably worth your attention, whether it will be the comedy moments that tick all your boxes or the outlandish special effects, Shaolin Soccer promises you one thing, that you’ve never seen anything quite like it.

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Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

Kubrick up-close language film directors, preferring foreign masters such as Fellini. The or over thirty years release of Kubrick’s Dr. Anthony Frewin Strangelove in 1964, worked closely with however, drew Frewin’s Stanley Kubrick, arguably attention to the director. It was not until years cinema’s most celebrated director. On 28 October, a later that Frewin would decade after Kubrick’s meet Kubrick. After working as an death, Mr Frewin gave a talk on the great director, office-temp at age 17 in West Building, his films Frewin was convinced to and what it was like to take a job as a runner by work for a director whose his father who worked in films are constantly the film industry. It was celebrated as some of the here, on the set of sci-fi greatest works in cinema. Kubrick’s The talk was sparsely masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey, attended, with that the pair just fourteen would meet and people in total. forge a working While the relationship that room was far Those that did would last until from packed, turn up couldn’t the director's those that did help but be death in 1999. turn up riveted by couldn’t help Frewin’s tales Frewin talked of but be riveted of the master the directors by Frewin’s director meticulous tales of the attention to master detail, stating that he was director. s a younger man “tremendously focused on Anthony Frewin his filmmaking”, that “you your nickel cared little for the earned works of most English- working for Stanley.” But Gary Young FILM EDITOR

he was also keen to point following his adaptation critical that the film wasn’t out that Kubrick wasn’t of the Shining, King had dark enough and went on without a sense of heavily criticised the film to say that Kubrick had humour, pointing towards for abandoning some considered (and had begun Strangelove and Lolita major plot points from the researching) making his (1962) as novel, to say own Holocaust movie, but examples. that “good that to portray it with When asked novels make absolute realism would about the bad films lead the film to be After working as and meanings of vice- completely unwatchable. an office-temp He did have one some of versa” and, at age 17 Kubrick’s at the end of recommendation, Frewin was more surreal the day, however, adding that the convinced to films, in King “didn’t only time he had heard take a job as a particular like the film, Kubrick say “I wish I’d runner 2001, Frewin but he didn’t made that” was after stated that the return the having seen The Battle of Algies Gillo director was always cheque.” Pontecorvo). reluctant to explain such s the talk neared sequences but was much its conclusion, more interested in how the Frewin audience interpreted them. by Kubrick has often been finished praised for his ability to discussing create significant works Kubrick’s across a range of different opinion of genres, however, it was other never his intent to simply directors. try every genre. Instead he When was only concerned with asked about telling a good story. He Spielberg’s said, “it’s easier to fall in Schindler’s love than find a good List, he was story.” Frewin then spoke about the disagreement between John Malcovich as Kubrick in ‘Color Me Kubrick’ Kubrick and Steven King

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Entertainment

Hair, hair and more hair...this time for charity

ey Guys, Carly here once again.

This month my hair will mostly be blonde. BUT, with your help and good will, I will be able to raise £100 for Children’s Hospices UK, which means I will then dye it bright pink! If I reach

Carly Street GAMES & TECH EDITOR £100, it doesn’t mean you have to stop donating; every bit extra will help terminally ill children enjoy their short lives that little bit more. Come on guys; www.justgiving.com/carly street. P.S. Borderlands is AWESOME.

Top 10 games of 2009 10. Pokemon Platinum Children everywhere peed a little when they heard this was being released and screamed blue murder till their parents bought them it. This game has most of the great things about all the Pokemon games, but with better graphics. However, one thing I don’t like about this or any of the games after Pokemon Red and Blue; it has OVER 151 Pokemon! Outrage! 9. Arkham Asylum If you have been reading this newspaper, you will know I love this game. It has everything you need in a good game; graphics, awesome storyline, crazy boss battles and a little bit of hallucination. Gotta love the B-man.

Carly Street GAMES & TECH EDITOR 8. Resident Evil 5 Single player is below average as your so called “ally” tends to stand in front your line of fire and then has the cheek to complain when you shoot her. The only thing that makes this game worthy of play is the co-op; then the game is actually playable. 7. Left 4 Dead II I CAN KILL THINGS WITH A FRYING PAN. Epic. 6. Forza 3 It’s a racing game. With good graphics. Awesome. Still no Gran Turismo 5, but it’ll do till then, and it’ll have to do for those who own 360s.

Game of the year? Eddie Hynes

W2 is set in today’s world, where quite literally all hell has broken loose. It starts where MW1 left off, Zakhaev is dead and has been replaced by Makarov a psychotic Russian Nationalist warlord who is intent (and successful) on provoking a war between Russia and the US. Cue 17 fast paced missions where you play as the US Marines and task force 141 (an elite band of soldiers mainly made up from SAS recruits) Within these missions are lots and lots of bad guys standing between you and your various objectives, they all have guns, lots of guns and they are more than happy to use them.

hat’s great about this game? In short lots, the graphics are truly stunning, even the multiplayer game modes are visually superior to the last game's story mode, but we knew MW2 would pack visuals in to make your respective consoles purr. The gameplay is pretty much the same to MW1 but this is no bad thing, it wasn't broken, so

there's little to fix, the game still feels natural and familiar and is fast and very much furious. I won’t spoil the twisting storyline or missions as listing them all would ruin the experience of discovering them for yourself, however each level demands something new from your war weary abilities, as you are strewn from the dust of Afghanistan to guarded oil rigs to the streets of Washington DC.

hat’s missing? The single player campaign is relatively short, most gamers will have the ‘normal’ setting whipped in around 6 hours. However this is offset by multiplayer mode and a new co-op campaign called ‘special ops’ which adds so much to the longevity of the game, just be wary if you intend on playing this on your own. One point that perhaps should be mentioned is that this game contains adult content. The now infamous and controversial level where the player can choose to take part in a massacre of civilians which some say are reminiscent of the Mumbai attacks in early 2009. The scene has been

widely publicised and has had Daily Mail readers scrambling for their petrol cans with one hand and the game with another. Could this incident be played out as noninteractive cut-scenes without compromising artistic integrity? The easy answer here is absolutely yes. However the game is clearly marked suitable for 18 years and over, and has a mandatory "checkpoint" in which players are warned that an upcoming segment may contain disturbing elements. So parents who have bought this game for ‘little Jimmy’ only have themselves to blame. Nonetheless this scene has reignited the age old debate on violent content in videogames and is not about to go away anytime soon, the publishers (Infinity Ward) will no doubt be lapping up the publicity and counting the cash that comes along with it.

n conclusion Infinity Ward have successfully created a sequel that will leave you bruised and battered and you will certainly need a lie down or a spell in a darkened room after playing it. But you will be so glad that you did.

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Under-rated gems of the PS James Thomasson Final Fantasy Tactics Despite never gaining a release outside of Japan and the USA, Final Fantasy

Tactics was, and still is, one of the most addictive and challenging games to be released on the system. Despite critical acclaim, Tactics has always been in the shadow of its numbered cousin which came out the very same year (Final Fantasy 7). Speaking

personally, I feel the story in Tactics far outweighs that told in FF7 but that’s for another time. It has since been adopted by Nintendo’s GBA with the release of Tactics Advance and Tactics Advance 2 respectively. A PSP remake of the original Tactics game was released in 2008. Legend of Dragoon Most people would simply dismiss any JRPG that didn’t have the words ‘final fantasy’ in the title as not being worth their time. Legend of Dragoon, made by Sony, proves that this is certainly not the right line to go down. LOD was simply overlooked because of this

particular reason and many people missed out on buying what is now a very rare game. LOD provides a lengthy and

challenging RPG experience that would not appear out of place in the famous series but now goes on Ebay for twice as much as Square’s most famous one. Zone of the Enders: Second Runner The first Zone of the Enders game was more

famous for a certain Metal Gear Solid 2 demo that came with it than for the actual game itself. Despite being produced by Hideo Kojima the ZOE series has never been given the recognition it deserves in the industry. Giant mech battles in space are nothing new in videogames but ZOE took it a step further by actually giving this idea a compelling narrative behind it. This second, and at the moment the last due to poor sales, entry into the ZOE series (released back in 2003) is much

superior to its predecessor in both narrative, graphics and gameplay. Some of the visuals would not be out of place on the PS3 system and anime cut scenes are smooth and actually contain some decent voice acting. This game can be hard to find now with some copies going on for £50 plus on Ebay, but if you can get hold of it I guarantee you will not be disappointed, especially if you are a fan of Kojima’s past work.

Top 10 games of 2009 5. Sims 3 Who doesn’t want to spend hours installing a game only to find that it eats up a whopping 7Gb of hard drive space, and that’s only IF your computer can run it! But hey; another chance to make your dream house, a sim of yourself and that person you’ve been stalking forever, then driving them insane and drowning them in a swimming pool has never looked so good. 4. Assassins Creed II His name is just as strange as last time. His outfit is just as cool. His mission is as AWESOME; kill bad people whilst pretending to be Spiderman.

3. FIFA 10/ PES2010 The love of chavs and normals alike; these two games are one of the most pre-ordered games of each year, and people will still buy the next one in the series even if they didn’t like last years, purely because “maybe it’ll be better this year”. Oh, and screaming “HELLS YEAH MUTHAF*CKA!” down the headset is a must have.

2. Halo 3 ODST Those who did not read a preview of the game would be sad and shocked when they put the game in and discover that you are not the Master Chief and the game is more realistic than the other games. But people still bought it, and still are now.

1. COD: Modern Warfare 2

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Arts

Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

Festivities and the future of the fashion pages Ellen McIntyre FASHION EDITOR

ell that’s it guys, it’s the end of the year and the end of another decade. Out with the old and in with the new. This, I suppose, could also include me, your new Fashion Editor. Although, I’m sure you wouldn’t guess it based on the dodgy picture. I hope you like what we’ve produced this month, it was a bit short notice trying to get the photo shoot together but I think it’s turned out well. Hopefully, I’m going to

turn these pages into something you’ll want to read and get involved with. I’m also attempting to get local fashion involved (this month Left Bank of Byram Arcade kindly helped us out) so if you think you could help then don’t hesitate to contact me: fashion@hslive.co.uk. If you have any feedback, good or bad, get in touch, hey, it might even get printed. Other than that, have a very merry Christmas.

Fur’s fur

Rebecca Herd

here are two sides to the idea of fur. I recently bought a rabbit fur coat, it was a spur of the moment decision and at £30, I considered it a steal. Since that milestone moment, however, I haven’t worn the damn thing. It’s hanging in my wardrobe, lonely, whilst I consider whether I am proud of myself for buying it or slightly sickened at the prospect of wearing a few dead animals. In bygone days you were considered to have ‘made it’ when your husband brought you home a fur coat. Perhaps the modern equivalent is our future husbands coming home with a brand new Aston Martin Vanquish?

Fur has for many years, probably due to the hippies of the 60s and 70s, been branded as degraded, heathen and cruel. But as one of my colleagues mentioned to me, ‘haven’t these animals been bred for this purpose?’ Many people have sheepskin rugs and leather jackets, isn’t it a waste to not use the skins?’ She then went on to remind me that the coat is vintage, there have been no more animals killed to make me look good. The coat is also not an endangered species. Jungles and big cats are still safe and I can still sleep at night. What’s more, £30 is expensive to a shopaholic student and I definitely don’t want paint thrown down my back. Coming from a family where hippies are in high regard, I’m still unsure.

Key look of the night. Photo: Elisa Barxha

RAG raises and gives...fashionably? Romaine Maret, is spending her placement year at the store. For four eters’ is known to weeks she has been students as a shop arranging a fashion show which is usually with her aim to raise over their budget; money for the Read however, they are International Charity, who collect desperately trying books their best to appeal from local to students. schools Rumour has it that and send if they have enough The night was a them to interest they’ll start complete Tanzanian offering student success, raising children. discount. At the plenty of She is moment we try and money for trying to find bargains on charity encourage accessories and bags in store but, students to come in and apparently, Bay Trading find bargains, such as her will soon become another dress, a steal at £20. The event saw the wine department in the trendy shop, a bit more within our flow, tons of prizes (such as a luscious leather bag) price range. ‘Textiles for Fashion and there was an auction Interiors’ student, on a fabulous dress Susan Radford

donated by the store. Owner David Whittle said, “Romaine did a fantastic job and everything went smoothly”. For us, the key look of the night was Benetton’s white blouse with bow collar, under a navy blue dress, priced at £29.90 and £49.90 respectively. However, for those with a bigger purse, a treś fashionable military jacket (think Balmain) by Joules was priced at a cool £129. The night was a complete success, raising plenty of money for charity and, as a fashion student, I desperately urge you all to add this boutique to your regular shopping journey; you may actually be surprised at what you can find, I definitely was.

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Arts

Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

Festive Fashions Photos: Lance Hambly Model: Lauren Innes Styling: Danielle Burkey & Jennifer Dunlop Clothing: Left Bank, Byram Arcade

Ellen McIntyre FASHION EDITOR

hen December comes around, I always feel a little sad. For the Scrooges, it just means cold days and dark nights, but for me it means another year is over and, pathetically, that I’m getting old. Then I stop being a pessimist and realise that December means that the Christmas party season is here. This

makes it all okay. Generally, this just means a period where your waistband tut-tuts at you on a regular basis and you have more invites to parties than you’ve received all year. Unfortunately, this also means most of us will experience various stages of panic about how to look our best at short notice on student funds. Remember guys, this means work- a chance to show how fabulous and amazing you are outside of your boring

work attire. Instead of fighting through the Christmas shoppers, we have done the hard part and found four outfits we think are perfect.

eep fashion’s current penchant for excessive details, playful silhouettes and vivid colours in mind when picking out your dress for the season’s Christmas celebrations. We picked an edgy, tartan number- what says festive

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Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

Hard but w Harem pants.

more than tartan? Of course, tartan can be an imposing print, so don’t go over-the-top. Keep the accessories simple. We paired this dress with tough ankle boots to recreate this seasons catwalk looks (Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors) and used brooches to change the shape of the neckline retaining a bit of glamour in the area a necklace would hang. If patterns are a bit too outrageous for you then stick to a block colourthis can be slimming, which is always a bonus. Don’t do red, though,

Tartan can be an imposing print, so don’t go OTT. Keep the accessories simple.

orth it

LBD is no more. Long live white dresses.

unless Santa was the look you were going for. Purple or blue or emerald green are better options.

e selected a metallic blue, strapless dress, with festive bow detailing on the back; because this dress is decorative accessories should be minimal. The advantage of this dress is that it has an empire line, which is flattering for those who have big hips or a larger stomach.

ou could play it safe with the LBD but, believe it or not, black isn’t always flattering and it’s so unoriginal- it’s boring. You’re boring us. Instead we decided, in

contrast, to go for virginal Mary white. This strapless, floaty number is perfect for those who want to hide a bit of stomachall that free buffet food. The simple design and colour allows you to be freer to experiment with accessories. You might want to add a belt, try different colour tights, pile up the jewellery, experiment with shoes; it really is a staple to build on.

on’t fancy wearing a dress? That’s okay. Whether you love or loathe them, summer fashion favourite, the harem pant is here to stayfor a few more months at least- perfect for those with long legs.

Looking festiv

e in tartan

A couple of JD and cokes into the night and you won’t know who you are, let alone what you’re wearing Harems are notoriously difficult to style and wear, and let’s face it nobody wants “Hammertime” chanted at them. Get it right and they can look flattering and sophisticated. Those with shorter legsshould counteract the bagginess of the trousers with high heels. When it comes to what to wear up top, stay slim to offset the

Read an interview with the owner of Left Bank at www.hslive.co.uk/leftbank

fullness of the pants, we styled them with a plain fitted vest. As these trousers are such a statement piece accessories should be basic.

o, what’s the most important thing to remember when you’re buying your Christmas outfit? Confidence. You have to feel good in what you’re wearing. Then you’ll feel good about yourself. And let’s face it, a couple of JD and cokes into the night and you won’t know who you are, let alone what you’re wearing, so don’t take it too seriously. Enjoy yourself and have a Merry Christmas.

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Huddersﬁeld Student | November/December 2009 www.hslive.co.uk

The best story of Christmas ever told Rob J West SPORT & SOC EDITOR erry Christmas midst of muddy Frogland, all. As I type something quite amazing this out in a happened. busy Students' Union bar; It's folk legend now, but with my trademark Red not official, that over the Bull laptop, I must admit I snow covered no-man’s thought being with the land came cheers of paper would have people “Tommy! Merry talking to me all day long Chriztmaz!” from the and I’d struggle for a German camps. moment’s peace. As it is, Cautiously the soldiers of I’m alone; with a pint. opposing sides met on noThe best story of man’s land and with Christmas cheer is now Christmas cheer and no nearly a hundred years old doubt stolen beer, covered and was told by my late more ground than they great granddad. would do for the next two In 1914, a war began that years in a ‘friendly’ game tolled the most deaths of of football. any conflict since time No one knows who won; began. On the magical my granddad claimed the date, 25 December 1914; ball was over the line, and the bureaucrats and that the referee was Generals at home with Scottish, so who knows. their families round the I’m proud to say he was fire, the honest Tommys of there though, even if he England, and Jerrys of was ‘affiliating with the Germany sat hunkered enemy’ as records will down in their trenches forever try to persuade us. literally freezing in the

Hudd’field 16-1 Hull Continued from 32 to stay solid, helped by several fantastic saves from goal-keeper Vikki Cooper. Huddersfield managed to make the most of set pieces- in particular, a corner played into the edge of the box and smashed into the back of the net to mark Taylor’s hat-trick of the game. Defender Joanne Cocken, who had spent most of the game having to remain defensive, decided to embark on a rare run forward which resulted in a fine goal. Huddersfield saved their

best for last and, after great link-up play between strikers and midfield, Julie Bennington was set free, blasting the ball past the keeper and into the back of the net, capping off a wonderful performance by the Huddersfield girls and making the journey worthwhile. After a solid performance in defence, while most people focused on trying to get their names on the score sheet, defender Lindsey Tague was named player of the match for keeping the Hull strikers at bay throughout the game.

Hawks’ play-off season hopes shattered? Andy ‘Frodo’ Blunt POLITICS EDITOR

fter two crushing defeats for the Hawks, who were being dubbed the ‘outside northern contenders’, their chances for playoffs seem dashed. With mental errors and sincere issues with finding that game-winning offensive rhythm that took them to their victories last year, the Hawks are facing a turning point which will define their season. During the second half of their second game, the

Hawks were questioned by their coach – after some cold facts were pointed out – and the team that brought the Hawks their first victories last year finally began to shine through. The offence marched the ball downfield: blocks were made, holes were hit and passes were caught. But mental errors cut into their steam, with two personal fouls in one quarter, the Hawks seemed to have lost their chances at a comeback score, until team veteran

and Captain Julien Boville forced the Hawks onto the scoreboard with his first career touchdown. Albeit too little, too late for that game, is it for the season? With their third game on 22 November against the Lincoln Colonials, the Hawks have to look inside once more, and again every single game afterwards, to decide the fate of their season. So the question is: What are you going to do? (the correct response is 'do Huddersfield proud and kill some foos').

Sports Team Results: 4 November Men’s Badminton

7-1

Leeds Met (3rd)

Women’s Badminton

3-5 (A)

York St. John

Basketball

66-50

York

Men’s Football

5-2 (A)

Teesside (3rd)

Women’s Football

16-1 (A)

Hull (2nd)

Men’s Hockey

8-0

Leeds (6th)

Women’s Hockey

1-4

Newcastle

Netball (1st)

34-43(A)

Leeds (3rd)

Netball (2nd)

36-14

Rugby Union

7-39 (A)

Sunderland

Men’s Squash (1st)

2-1

York (2nd)

Men’s Football (2nd)

6-1

Bradford (2nd)

Sunderland (2nd)

Huddersfield Student- Christmas_Huddersfield Student 17/11/2009 16:29 Page 32

huddersﬁeldsport Two players down turns to 16-1 victory for Huddersfield More scores and match reports coming soon to www.hslive.co.uk/sport

Ladies’ football team in action

Lisa-Marie Parry After illness struck several players the morning of the game, Huddersfield were left with only nine players for the away trip to Hull. Due to recent form, however, the team was in high spirits and confident they would be able to contest the game. Straight away, from kick off, Hull pressed, trying to make the most of their two player advantage. A throughball sent striker, Sarah Robson,

free; one-on-one with the keeper, slotting the ball in to the net to relieve the pressure. Huddersfield continued to use the pace of Robson to capitalise with more through-balls, which all hit the back of the net. Robson then turned into supplier and slotted through to Lisa Parry and Rebecca Taylor for their first goals of the game. Even though Huddersfield were on top, Hull never stopped pushing and, after some great play by them, they

caught Huddersfield napping; scoring a goal to make it 5-1. During the second half, exhaustion began to set in, displayed by the increased number of missed chances. After battling all day, Danielle Sandison was finally rewarded with a simple tap in, closely followed by a sweetly hit shot from the edge of the box ending up in the top corner of the net. Hull still pressed for more goals as Huddersfield began to tire but the defence managed Continued » 31

Huddersfield continued to use the pace of Robson to capitalise with more throughballs, which all hit the back of the net. Robson then turned into supplier and slotted through to Lisa Parry and Rebecca Taylor for their first goals of the game

Masters of entertainment Drummer Bill Bruford and aide to Kubrick, Anthony Frewin have been on campus ENTERTAINMENT » 22 & 23