YORKVISION GUARDIAN STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
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www.yorkvision.co.uk
Golden silvers
E FR GUI ESHER DE S T YO R O K
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T A N I NOM GUARDIAN MEDIA AWARDS
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R O F ED
TUESDAY October 14, 2008 ISSUE 191
FRE
white lies
Freshers fall victim to the...
COLLEGE CONMEN
BY DANIEL HEWITT
NEWLY-ARRIVED FRESHERS will face mass inequality on the price of Freshers Tickets after it emerged that some colleges were ripping off their new students. First year students are being forced to pay differences of up to £16 for tickets, despite most colleges hosting a similair if not exact schedule of events. Colleges are also including events such as Bar Quizzes and Provost meals as part of the ticket 'deal', despite the fact they are usually free. It will come as bad news for James College students who will be forced to pay £25 for their freshers week ticket, with Vanbrugh freshers paying only £9 . The news has prompted calls by some college chairs to create fixed prices. .
> FRESHERS DISH OUT £25 FOR EVENTS
> £16 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COLLEGES > CALLS FOR FAIRER REGULATION
FULL STORY PAGE 6
ANOTHER ACCOMODATION COCK UP AS FRESHERS FORCED TO DOUBLE UP (P4)
2NEWS
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
YORK STUDENT KILLED IN HOLIDAY ACCIDENT
your week QUOTE OF THE WEEK “If I saw you outside of work, I'd punch you in the face because you are a little prick!” - Security Services alleged threat to a student
GOOD WEEK bad week GOOD WEEK
Grant Bradley He's off to meet Simon Cowell!
BAD WEEK
Lancaster University Sport
They're going to get battered!
the number cruncher 2 1000
Number of points by which York won last year's Roses Number of Big D tickets going on sale today
of vampiric 8000 Number students hiding from the sun in a fervour of exam stress
VISION NEEDS YOU!
Want to write for the most decorated student newspaper in the country?
Vision is holding its termly elections on Monday of Week 3. They will take place at 8pm in V/045. All positions will be up for grabs.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY MOURN CHARLES BY RUTH GAILLE IT WAS with great sadness that the University received the news that second-year James student, Charles de Ladoucette, passed away following an accident in the Easter holidays. Charles was an Economics
and Finance student and played for the James College Rugby team. In an email to Charles’ fellow College members, James Provost Neil Lunt said: “Many of you will know Charles and will join all those
associated within the College in extending its deepest sympathy to his family and friends.” A Facebook group, created so that the friends of Charles could share their grief, has been flooded with messages showing just how much Charles meant to
so many people. Vision would like to express their sympathies to all those who were close to Charles at this sad time.
GAP YEAR CAR CRASH TRAGEDY BY MIKE REGAN TWO GAP-YEAR students set to enroll at York have been killed in a head-on car collision in South Africa. Oli Mobsby and Ed Lowton both 18 years old had ac-
cepted a place at the university and were set to begin their courses in October of this year. Their 19 year old friend Nick Thomson, who was set to go to Newcastle University, was also killed. The three friends had all attended Gillingham School
YORK VISION Wednesday May 6th, 2009
in Dorset and had completed their A’ Levels in June. The families released a joint statement, having flown out to Cape Town for a memorial service. “They were enjoying themselves. It’s just wrong place, wrong time.” “They never had any dis-
Guardian Student Newspaper of the Year 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007
Editors: Joe Burnham Mike Regan
News Editors: Emily Fairbairn Martin Williams
Deputy Editors: Emily Hodges Samantha Cowley
Deputy News: Nicola Chapman Ruth Gallie
Lifestyle Editor: Rachel Knox
Deputy Sports Will Marwick Pete Stanley
Scene Editor: Andy Nichols
Comment Editors: Harry Pearse Daniel Hewitt
Deputy Lifestyle: Ailsa Macmillan Zoya Pasha
Photo Editors: Juliet Burns Jess McGowan
Deputy Comment: Alex Dale Chris Burgess
Style Editors: Jude Hull Eman Akbar
Sub Editors: Martin Williams Andy Mcgrath
Features Editors: Josie Whittle Jake Soule
Deputy Style: Jenny Thompson Will Booth
Scene Section Editors listed in pullout
Managing Editors: Patrick Harte Charles Rivington Treasurers: Sam Bates Alex Dale
Deputy Features: Kelly Holt Will Wainewright
appointments in life. They were having a fantastic time.” The accident came soon after the friends had begun their travels that was set to take in Thailand, Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.
Sports Editor: Jim Norton
Opinions expressed in Vision are not necessarily those of the Editors, Senior Editorial Team, membership or advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure all articles are as factually correct as possible at the time of going to press, given the information available. Copyright Vision Newspapers, 2009. Printed by Yorkshire Web
NEWS
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
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RACIST CALLER THREATENS YORK'S BEAUTY QUEEN
UNI BEAUTY RACE-HATE THREATS BY TOM MCDERMOT
RACIST ABUSE has been directed at a York University student who won both the Miss Black Britain title and Miss York crown. After Helen Lawal, 23, a medical student at the Hull York Medical School, was crowned Miss York an unknown man phoned up the event’s organisers to complain that “there shouldn’t be a black person representing York.” The racist claimed that Nigeria-born Helen's vic-
tory was an "absolute disgrace." He is said to have had a Yorkshire accent. The man's abuse then became more threatening, saying that he would “get” the event organisers and Lawal herself. Miss Lawal was said to have been “shocked and surprised” when told about the incident. Students at York University have also expressed disbelief regarding the phone call: a first year student from Goodricke College told us, “I can’t believe there are
still people in the world with such an old fashioned and, frankly, racist attitude. His actions were clearly just a petty attempt to undermine the contest; we shouldn’t let it detract from Helen’s victory.” The North Yorkshire Police, however, aren’t writing off the crime as the actions of a bitter crank. They issued a statement which assures that they are taking the crime “very seriously and will investigate.”
BIG D HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED
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D-DAY SCRAMBLE BY MARTIN WILLIAMS SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, Utah Saints and Scratch been have Perverts announced as the headliners of campus’ biggest event of the year, 'Big D'. Tickets go on sale today for Derwent’s flagship event, this year is called ‘Alice in WonDerland’. Last year the end-of-year party sold out in less than 24 hours and is expected to do similar this year. As well as the big-name headliners, York Battle of The Bands winner, Magnapow, will be playing, as will Idioteque, Breakz and DJ Barnaby. But event organiser, Anna Claire Younger has
said the night is “definitely not all about the acts.” Other attractions will include a teacup ride and a “live Mad Hatter’s tea party.” She also revealed a return of “the much-loved laser quest and other inflatables that proved so popular last year.” A promotional video was released week last revealing that the event will have an Alice Wonderland in theme. Younger told Vision: “each room will be themed differently
and decorated to the max so people will literally feel like they have stepped into Wonderland.”
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Derwent have also announced a ‘little sister’ for Big D, dubbed ‘Little D’. This aims to be a “contrast-
ing event to the evening - the more innocent side of Wonderland.” Attractions include croquet, a tea party tent, fete-style stalls and performances from Dance Soc., Cheerleading Soc. and a barbershop quartet. Following the passing away of Derwent Provost, Ron Weir last term, money raised by Big D will go towards the Ron Weir memorial as well as the Teenage Cancer Trust, a local mental health charity, and RAG. Tickets go on sale at 12 noon today.
BRADLEY
BY NICOLA CHAPMAN
SUCCESS IN THE first auditions for ITV’s The X Factor has left secondyear underg raduate Grant Bradley, one of the four 2009 YUSU President candidates, with a smile on his face. Rumoured to have sung his own rendition of Britney Spears’ 'Womanizer' to wow the judges, Bradley said that, “I don’t know why I put myself through it – I guess it’s a way to meet some very, very strange people!” Bradley auditioned for The X Factor last year and got through to the second rounds, an achievement he has
repeated this year. Speaking to Vision about the auditioning process, the Management student said: “It’s amazing how different the auditions are to what people see on the TV.” Contrary to popular belief, the first round of auditons does not take place in front of Simon Cowell et al. Contestants must first impress the producers with their talent, or lack there-of, before they see the judges. Moving on from his campaign for Presidency, Bradley is clearly aiming for bigger and better things.
4NEWS
student press We read them... ...so you don't have to Flaming Idiot
A BIRTHDAY BASH was ruined at Cambridge University after one guest, under the influence of many a celebratory drink, was convinced the room was on fire, reports Varsity. The student swallowed his drink in one go and strode across the room, determined to be the one to save the day. He seized the nearest fire extinguisher and covered the party and its goers in a coating of foam. However, despite the student’s protests, the fire was clearly a drink induced hallucination and the guests, far from being grateful to the “hero,” were left very disgruntled.
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
STUDENT THREATENED BY STAFF MEMBER IN SHOCK OUTBURST
EDEN MORE TROUBLE
Home sweet home?
A STUDENT at the Brighton and Sussex medical school is facing deportation to Zimbabwe after a hearing ruled that he no longer has the right to remain in the country, reports The Badger. Nigel Mabvuure’s application for settlement was rejected on the basis that his £50 a week earnings from a part time job, taken up to ease the burden of his University fees on his family, make him financially independent. Brighton and Sussex students have been quick to appeal the decision to return Nigel to a country where he has no family or connections. There is currently a petition circling and a Facebook group.
Sticky Situation AN OXFORD STUDENT has been arrested after attaching herself with superglue to a statue inside the Houses of Parliament, reports Cherwell. Alice Heath fixed herself to the Effigy along with three other protesters as part of a climate change demonstration. Police struggled for more than three hours to detach the students before they were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and criminal damage. Alice is now banned from going within one kilometre of the Palace of Westminster, but insists it was worth it. Ruth Gallie
BY RACHEL KNOX
Acc Servic ording to t h es mis sion s e Security tatem ent... "Our mi s
Burm-ed Out A BURMESE UNIVERSITY was recreated on campus by Exeter University students last week as part of Amnesty Society’s biggest protest of the year. Exeposé reports that the protest aimed to raise awareness of the Junta military rule in Burma and how it affects students. Several members of Amnesty Soc acted as Junta military police, rounding up 15 protesters and binding them with police tape before marching them across Campus. Amnesty were Vice President campaigning for the release of political prisoners known as the '88 generation', who protested peacefully for democracy and human rights in Burma and were either killed or given long jail terms.
JUSTICE IN COURT
BY EMILY HODGES SECURITY SERVICES personnel have been criticised for behaving agressively towards students, after allegedly mishandling an assault on a student house by an agressive gang. The unknown intruders attacked an Eden’s Court house last Saturday night, causing damage and injuring students. The gang acted agressively towards students before throwing missiles at the windows. One smashed a window and the unknown object hit a female student on the head. The girl suffered cuts and bleeding from the attack, and later had to seek hospital treatment. It is not known if the attackers were students from another college or local residents. The Eden's Court students phoned Security Services to report the incident, and informed them of the attack. However, when Security did arrive, the students say they were shocked
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by the reaction they received from the Security staff. One man allegedly demanded: “Why didn’t you restrain them yourselves, why do we have to do it?” T h e scandalous attitude of Security staff continued when one member apparently told a student “If I saw you outside of work I’d punch you in the face because you’re a little prick.” The stunned student then asked the staff member for his name and security number, so he could report him. The man is said to have responded by threatening him, saying, “If I had your name and address, I’d come round and give you a
piece of my mind.” The student involved, who chose to remain anonymous, told Vision, “It was completely out of order. We were the ones who were made to feel in the wrong for calling out security.” Security Services have declined to comment about the incident.
The University have made hasty attempts to improve the appalling living conditions in Eden’s court following Vision’s front page exposé on the matter. Complaints over the mould ridden rooms, which made students ill, were virtually ignored by the university so the residents came to Vision in attempt to improve their situation. One of the students effected by the mould told Vision that following “random room checks” on the worst effected rooms the day after Vision was released, the situation at Eden’s Court has vastly improved. Over the Easter holidays all of the rooms affected by the mould had been thoroughly cleaned, and airbricks have been put in place as a temporary measure in those rooms worse effected. The attempts to improve Eden’s Court will also continue over the summer, with plans to damp proof all rooms, replace the windows with new double glazing and new cavity wall installation. College Chair Joe Rankin told Vision he is “really encouraged to hear that the mould problem has been temporarily put right,” and expressed his gratitude towards the two Eden’s Court reps Nick Walter and Mike Warren for their hard work in trying to bring the mould problem to the universities attention. He added: “it goes to show that students can make a difference.”
SECURITY SCARE AS MENTALLY ILL PATIENT HEADS TO CAMPUS
THE GREAT ESCAPE BY EMILY FAIRBAIRN AN ESCAPED PATIENT from a mental health hospital sparked a security scare on campus over the Easter holidays. Students working on campus during the holidays were warned
by security that the patient had left a secure neurobehavioural rehabilitation unit at York House and was last seen heading to campus. “We were told not to panic but to keep our eyes out for her,” says one second-year, who was running a disco for
visiting school children at the time. The patient was reported to be ‘confused’ and not an immediate threat to others, but possibly a danger to herself. Helicopters were spotted circling campus in search of for the
patient, which one student admitted made her feel “a bit anxious.” It is thought that the patient was successfully returned to York House following the search. York House is a expert mental health provider that specialises in the management
of people with challenging behaviour. They also take referrals for service users detained under the Mental Health Act. When contacted by Vision, York House declined to comment.
YORK VISION
NEWS
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
STUDENT HOUSE FOCUS OF MURDER ENQUIRY
BY MARTIN WILLIAMS SEVERAL YORK students could have links with the murder of an illegal immigrant, it has emerged. The body of 38-year-old Cai Guan Chen was found beaten and dumped in a Yorkshire canal in March. Last week police swooped on a York house that is likely to have had student tenants, as part of an on-going murder inquiry. Although the police could not yet confirm any details of the tenants, the property under investigation has been found listed online as student housing. The Accommodation
Office at the University of York also said they “have it listed as student accommodation.” Estate agency York Student Accommodation refused to comment. Cai Guan Chen had been living in the UK since 2001 using the fake name Bing Lin. An off-duty policeman discovered his body two or three weeks after he was murdered. A neighbour of the raided house told Vision that there were five Chinese residents but other people were “coming and going all the time.” “We said hello to each other, but there was no conversation between us,” he
TROUBLE AND STRIKE
BY EMILY FAIRBAIRN
said. The windows of the York property have now been boarded up by authorities. The murder investigation had been held back because police were unable to identify the body. However, after an appeal for information including a poster campaign on campus, North Yorkshire Police were able to reveal that “he is believed to have lived in various locations around the UK and his last-known address was in the London area.” Detective Superintendent Karnail Dulku, who is leading the investigation said: “It is believed he has been murdered elsewhere
and his body deposited in the canal.” “All life is precious and what this man has suffered I’m sure he didn’t deserve. It is a brutal attack and he’s been presumably dumped in the canal to prevent them being caught.” A police spokeswoman said: “Investigations are continuing to trace the people responsible for his death and police are following a number of positive leads.” If you have any information that may help the investigation, phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
CREDIT CRUNCH THREATENS STUDENT HOMES
REPOSSESSION,
REPOSSESSION,
REPOSSESSION BY SAMANTHA COWLEY REPOSSESSION OF rented homes has become yet another worry for York students to add to their lengthening list of recession woes. A group of Vanbrugh students living in the Tang Hall area returned from the Easter break to find that their house was being threatened with repossession, because the landlord had failed to pay the mortgage. “It was really stressful,” second-year Rachel Hessel-
wood told Vision. “Especially as no one seemed to know what to do. I spent a frantic few days ringing everyone I could think of and even had to write begging letters to the mortgage lenders asking them to let us stay.” Their housing contracts with letting agency Sinclair did not contain any protection for them. The notoriously impersonal agency was not even aware of the problem before the students told them. The University of York keeps spare rooms available for students who meet such strife.
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However, with the number of houses in danger of repossession set to rise as the economic situation worsens, questions are raised as to whether the University will be able to cope. YUSU’s Matt Burton has reassured students stating that in most cases student’s rent should cover the cost of the properties’ mortgage. Societies and Communications Officer Rory Shanks added that “YUSU will work hard to accommodate students in this situation.” However, it seems repossession is not the only
rising recession worry for students. There have also been increased reports of bailiffs turning up on student’s door steps. “One previous tenant of our house is clearly in a lot of trouble,” Sociology and Education student Eleanor Webster has reported, “On numerous occasions debt collectors have visited us looking for him and even though it’s not us who are in trouble it’s quite intimidating.”
STRIKE ACTION threatened by University lecturers looks set to endanger degree courses across the country. Huge disruption was caused by similar strikes in the summer of 2006, when lecturers boycotted student exams, marking and assessment. Fears that the same could happen this year, resulting in thousands of students being unable to graduate, has prompted condemnation by the NUS. “Given the effects of the current economic climate on the graduate jobs market, students need industrial action by university staff like a hole in the head,” says NUS President Wes Streeting. YUSU’s Rory Shanks added: “We will not support any action that is detrimental to students.” However, the proposed strikes are the result of threatened job cuts amongst academics, and an unsatisfactory pay rise. The University and College Union (UCU) had been hoping for a staff pay rise of 8%, but instead University employers offered only a miserly 0.3%. A UCU spokesman said: “They have failed to understand, or deal with, the full scale of the jobs crisis in the sector and left us with no choice but to ballot our members for industrial action.” The NUS is now calling for the financial crisis to be solved without negative impact on students. “It is vital that all parties get around the table to end the threat of strike action,” says Streeting.
THE BUCK STOPS HERE BY TOM MCDERMOTT EXPENSIVE DRINKS will not be imposed in York says YUSU, as the NUS reveals plans to set minimum prices for alcohol on University campuses. By encouraging Uni bars to increase their prices the NUS hopes to prevent binge-drinking, but these proposals have been faced with strong opposition from students across the country. YUSU’s Services and Finance Officer Matt Burton remains defiant. He told Vision that, even if the proposals were to go through, York should be safe: “The NUS policy can’t affect our University - we make the policies.” Concerns about the NUS’ proposals have been voiced by York’s JCRCs. Speaking to Vision, Tim Ellis, a bar rep for Goodricke College’s McQs, commented: “Sometimes it is a bit of a struggle to compete with town. If we didn’t have cheaper prices on our side then it could, potentially, spell the end for college bars.” Burton fears that the NUS’ proposals could do the exact opposite to their intended effect: “If we increased alcohol prices in campus bars we could see people flocking to cheaper bars in town and binging.” He told us that whilst YUSU doesn’t agree with such extreme measures they have already taken action in an attempt to keep students safe: “In principle we support national minimum pricing for alcohol. We already have sensible prices for alcohol in campus bars.”
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YORK VISION
NEWS
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
SEARCH FOR UNIVERSITY CHEF TURNS TO MURDER ENQUIRY
MICRO MYSTERY
EMILY HODGES
CLAUDIA HUNT CONTINUES
BY RUTH GALLIE READY-MEAL FANS breathed a sigh of relief on Friday, as their microwaves were returned to their kitchens after a mass removal by porters. It has now emerged that the microwaves were seized after the University learnt that they “posed a risk of fire and electric shock.” The dangerous machines were taken from kitchens all over campus, including from Wentworth, Goodricke and Derwent Colleges. Students told Vision that they were not told why their microwaves had been removed and when they would be returned. One first year English student commented: “When I went to the Porters’ lodge the man on duty didn’t seem to have a clue what I was talking about.” Rumours began to circulate of an explosion in a Wentworth kitchen and of porters frantically loading hazardous microwaves onto trolleys for safe disposal. However, students
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were pleased t o find their microwaves had been replaced by brand new models on Friday. One particularly relieved French and Linguistics student shared his traumatic ordeal of being forced to make meals without his favourite kitchen appliance: “Everything took so long! It was a real nightmare. I was devastated.” In a statement the Univeristy has explained: “We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused to students but our primary concern was to ensure their safety.”
A Poster from the appeal website launched by Claudia's father
BY NICOLA CHAPMAN NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE has confirmed that the investigation into the whereabouts of Claudia Law rence is now being dealt as a “potential murder enquiry.” The Goodricke chef has now been missing for nearly seven weeks despite a strong campaign to appeal for information. All student rooms in Goodricke, James and Wentworth colleges were searched during the Easter break in connection to the enquiry. A note was left on all beds detailing that the room had been searched by the police. Claudia, 35, was captured on CCTV at 2.30pm on Wednes-
LOSING THEIR RAG...
day the 18th of March at the University and was last seen by an acquaintance outside her home at 3pm. The alarms was raised when Claudia did not turn up to work the next day or answer any calls, something her family describes as “out of character.” As her disappearance coincided with the Easter break, her father, Peter Lawrence, has urged students to recall any memory of their last week in case it proves vital towards the investigation. A message from Mr. Lawrence was uploaded onto the York Extra website shortly before the start of term, asking for help from students. He asked that if anyone can re-
member anything suspicious or unusual to come forward straight away. He has also apologised for the room searches in university accommodation. He states that it “had to be ascertained that Claudia was not there.” A body found in the River Ouse on the 17th of April was initially linked to Claudia, but later dispelled. The investigation into the Goodricke chef’s disappearance has been heralded as the biggest investigation undertaken by North Yorkshire Police in five years. A £10,000 reward has now been issued by Crimestoppers to anyone who can provide information that “leads to the arrest and convic-
tion of any person linked to the disappearance of Claudia.” Claudia’s mother, Joan Lawrence, has described her traumatic ordeal as “every parent’s worst nightmare.” As the investigation has now been confirmed as a “potential murder enquiry,” Peter Lawrence has created a website to increase the awareness of Claudia’s disappearance. He says that the family are going through “an indescribably difficult time.” If anyone has any information they are urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
BY EMILY HODGES EMPTY POSITIINS on the RAG committee have forced byelections this week to fill the seven remaining places. Last term’s elections left many of the most important posts unfilled, including that of Vice President. The jobs of Secretary, Raids (3 people), Hit Squad (2 people), Sponsored Events, Sponsorship, and Merchan-
dise (2 people) also still need to be filled. YUSU’s Rory Shanks has insisted that the absence of candidates does not reflect students’ lack of enthusiasm for RAG: "We always have some positions unfilled, and this does not reflect student apathy. We will work hard to get a full committee." The newly elected RAG Presidents Zoe Stones and Helen
Fry told Vision that they remain positive about filling the positions: “RAG has really flourished over the last year, and with one of the largest committees on campus, we are looking forward to getting even more people involved!” The position of President was one of the most contested at the initial RAG elections, with three groups of candidates
running for the post. However, despite the committee being short of up to 11 students, Stones and Fry remain confident: “We have enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm from the potential candidates, and with so many exciting things going on in RAG at the moment, we are more than confident that RAG’s going to have a fantastic term.”
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YORK VISION
COMMENT & DEBATE
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
COMMENT & DEBATE
JOE BURNHAM
THE VOICE OF
Claudia Lawrence
D
oubtless just about every York student is now fully aware of what unfolded over the Easter break, with regard to missing Goodricke College chef, Claudia Lawrence. Vision's thoughts are with Claudia's friends and family at this time. However, Vision encourages anybody who still hasn’t come forward with any relevant information, however small, to call 08456060247. The University has naturally asked all staff to remain silent on the issue. Vision has duly respected that request and can only hope that other media outlets do the same and realise that this is a sensive matter and an incredibly upsetting time for those that knew her well.
C
Big D-light
ongratulations to Anna Claire Younger and the Big D organising committee for pulling a stunning line-up out of the bag for this year’s extravaganza. To secure Simian Mobile Disco is a great coup for Derwent and will ensure that tickets sell out in extra quick time. Yet the headliners and the other acts confirmed to play (Scratch Perverts and Utah Saints) are evidence that Matt Burton’s plans to bring Summer Ball to campus would not have conflicted with Derwent’s plans for Big D. The two events have vastly different atmospheres and vastly different appeals, as the scheduled acts testify. This excellent line up announcement and the guaranteed quick sale of tickets mean that the Summer ball’s presence on campus would have been an undoubtedly positive step that would not have stopped Derwent pulling out the stops once again.
Courting Disaster
V
ision hopes that the exclusive story revealed on Page 4 elicits the same reaction of shock and horror for our readers, as it did for us. The awful events that occurred last Saturday night were truly appalling. However it must be emphasised that this was an isolated incident. In Vision’s experience, Security Services are quick and professional when called, yet that does not make this case any less disturbing. It is the duty of Security Services to respond to emergencies in a way that protects the welfare of students. The shocking alleged statement, "Why didn’t you restrain them?" calls the entire role of the Security Services into question. If students are expected to maintain order themselves then what exactly are the Security Services supposed to do?
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The co-editor's last word. Definitively. Absolutely.
P
erhaps it’s a reflection of my regular, cynical nature which poisons me against grandiose emotional statements, self-righteous declarations and coming-ofage speeches declaring my love for some person, institution or ideal. As such, although it would be tempting to make sweeping observations about my time at York Vision (this is my final issue as co-editor, after all), I must resist; I won’t talk about campus politics, I won’t bitch about our friends at Nouse, and I won’t give my final word on a series of unfortunate events occurring last December (circumventing with Vision’s entire print-run being physically retracted by the powers-thatbe). To do so would be extraneous and redundant – on all three points, people’s opinions will already be firmly set in their ways, and ultimately the only people who would be interested are those either involved in campus media or campus politics. Since that’s a tiny, tiny minority, I’d prefer to avoid the aforementioned subjects and, instead, focus on the oft-ignored majority of students that slip through the campus media net. The simple truth is that most of you have your own agendas and, regardless of how often campus media insists upon it, we won’t be able to make you care about ours. The same isn’t just true of campus media, of course; national media does it too, perpetually hyping up stories and events in an attempt to thrust its relevance upon you. In this sense, reading a newspaper becomes a form of dual role-play – the reader is pretending to himself that the stories are somehow relevant to how he lives
LIBERTY MAWHOOD H
ow many of you, I wonder, are familiar with the following faux pas? I’m outside a cafe, enjoying the southern sun and a drink with a school friend I haven’t seen in a long while. The conversation flows easily, the drinks grow cold, and for several hours we are happy in our own little world. When we do finally realise the time and make a move, he asks me how long I’m around for: "not long," I reply casually, "I’m off home on Saturday..." We say goodbye as amicably as before, but the awkwardness of that moment, however brief its existence, is unmistakeable. By ‘home’, I meant York. But, to my friend, my ‘home’ was, and always has been, the little corner of Kent we shared before I came to York. Does this change suggest I’ve moved on? That I can no longer be content with the small town he calls ‘home’? I worry guiltily that he thinks I don’t enjoy his company. Except that I know he knows me better than to think any of this or take offence. The truth is the awkwardness lies only with me: I’m
his life, and the journalists are desperately trying to confirm what relevance several pieces of bad news has to the world at large. Don’t get me wrong, reporting events is a hugely noble profession – the problem, as I see it, is that ultimately newspapers lack the necessary self-actualisation to speak to their readers honestly. Broadsheet papers trade in the currency of pretension and tradition (only deviating from this pattern with cringing levels of self-awareness within their ‘artier’ pieces), whilst tab-
"Vision taught me a lesson in communication I'll always remember..." loids exist as the self-confirmed savours of the unwashed masses, occasionally rallying them with terrifyingly effective precision (Diana, Madeline and Goody are obvious examples). Neither of these styles are particularly human in the long-run, and instead they mainly work to perpetuate the stereotypical assumptions of classist England. When I got more involved in Vision, the possibility of going into newspaper journalism professionally crossed my mind, and seemed like an almost realistic option at times. Some of Vision’s previous editors made the leap, including recently dispatched Adam Thorn (who wrote News of the World’s front-page story a few months back), and I was evermore aware of other Vision stalwarts who were prepping themselves for journalistic post-grad. courses. I torn between two homes. Perhaps it’s not all that significant. I have been known to call hotels, friend’s houses, and a tent halfway up a mountain ‘home’, just as a passing remark. The difference here is that York really does feel like my home. Unlike a hotel, I have made my space my own, and I certainly feel more secure in my room than I did in that tent (though some of you in older accommodation might disagree). I’m not idealising York. When I first arrived back from the Easter break, the
"Maybe, there is something in the saying ‘home is where the heart is’. If your heart is in two places, why can’t you have two homes?" flat smelt funny (‘clean?’- Mum), it was empty and the walls were bare of my posters, pictures and random post-its I’ve gathered over the terms from god knows where. There are essays to write, money to manage, dishes to leave until they crawl into the sink, all before I move out again in just over ten weeks time. But, despite all that, I’m happy here. So, here is my home. But why do I feel guilty saying it, as if I’m betraying the
saw myself in this position - I started examining prospectuses, looking into internships and reading newspapers in a newfound critical light. Increasingly though, I began to understand my growing concern with the national newspaper medium; inherently, it seemed, news could only be communicated by targeting one of two stereotypical groups – the pretentious or the clueless – and, much worse, this forced people to choose which identity suited them best. I should note, Vision feels like an exceptional harbour from this. Although shamelessly tabloid, I’ve always been able to relax while writing for it. To me, the tabloid style is simply a picture-frame for our honest, unfiltered opinions. Perhaps I see Vision more of a magazine-spirited publication than I should do, but everyone brings something different to the table. For me, Vision has taught me a lesson in communication which I’ll always remember – a lesson which I believe doesn’t just apply to the world of journalism, but the whole spectrum of possible expression. The lesson follows: when you think you know your audience, you’ll never create work honestly – you’ll just be playing a role. To write honestly, I believe the only thing you can really assume about your readership is that they’re reading your words; beyond that, nothing. As such, I’d like to dedicate this article to the majority of Vision readers. I know nothing about you, I don’t pretend to, and I think that’s the best arrangement for all of us.
people I spent 18 years growing up with? I feel like I’m condemning my past as worthless and mundane in comparison to York, and that’s just not true. The then and now, they’re just, well, different. My parents seem to understand. "It’s not about what you had, it’s where you’re going now. You’re independent, you don’t need to come back here like you used to." And it’s true: my life seems to be in York. Here, I also have the benefit of coming and going when I want, and not needing to plan a couple of days in advance to see friends, who are scattered around the countryside. Saying that, there are people I love very much in Kent. I do miss friends, my family and, I won’t lie, the dishwasher and my mum’s cooking. Maybe, there is something in the saying ‘home is where the heart is’. If your heart is in two places, why can’t you have two homes? Moving on doesn’t necessarily mean leaving everything behind, but it does change your perception of what you had. I have two very different, very brilliant homes. Who knows, maybe if I’m lucky, there’ll be more to come.
TURN TO PAGE 10 FOR YOUR DOSE OF SUN, FACEBOOK AND SWINE FLU...
8 COMMENT & DEBATE
YORK VISION
GUEST COLUMNIST
Tuesday March 17th, 2009
Roughly a year on from his controversial ousting as James College Chair, Chet Khatu becomes our latest guest columnist...
CHET KHATU I
t’s March 2009 and I’m sitting opposite Mo, a 26 year old University of Greenwich graduate. We sit and talk about events missed over a pint. It turns out he’s just bought a house, he’s getting married, and he’s thinking about developing a DIY streak. As you do. I tell him about exams, girls, getting a new car . Mo places his pint on the sticky, stained table in front of us and with pint glasses half empty we move to enjoy a leaflet an evangelical preacher left behind, after reminding us our lives are doomed without the acceptance of ‘the divine love'. On this day, this dusty pub in Edmonton was host not only to a discarded London Metro and the smell of traffic straining to beat the next red light, but a sweeping conclusion. “Know what Chet? At the end of the day, some are for a reason, a season, and some, the precious few, are for life. It’s as simple as that mate.” The topic was friendships. In all likelihood, Mo is just another person in the world that won’t affect your life, the way you think, nor the way you react; he’s one of my closest
friends. Out there, the world I mean, would you feel compelled to find a friendship with the person you see opposite you? But moving from stranger to friend is something that seems to happen in an instant at University. Surely this is anomalous? In what other walks of life do you feel compelled to stroll into your neighbour’s room and connect with them? Are we all in it for simply minimising social traumas i.e. for just a ‘reason?’ It is now that time of year where lots of us are reflecting over whether four month voluntary friendships are going to last being contractually tied together for another twelve months, whether the showers are going to be rammed in the mornings and who the most likely suspect is to commit the first walk of shame at 8.30am through the front door (you know who you are).
"In what other walks of life do you feel compelled to stroll into your neighbour’s room and connect with them?" Second and third-years are looking back at events past and present, judging if their decision was right. I’m a secondyear. I lived out with seven other people
and I can safely say that for the time I had it was all definitely worth it, for the great times and the horrifically bad. When Vision contacted me to do an article I chose this theme because the stories we hear from day to day usually seem to focus around mutual friends. “Did you hear about him dropping out...”. “You’ll never guess who got arrested in town for being drunk...”, “X and Y just broke up, they seemed so solid...”. Facebook revealed to me a theory called “six degrees of separation.”
"So, in theory, I could be friends with Scarlett Johansson in a week. Awesome. " For those who don’t know, the jist of it is that if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth. So, in theory, I could be friends with Scarlett Johansson in a week. Awesome. But back to real life, York seems to be separated only by about two, maybe three degrees. It’s great! But I’m forced to ask, am I utilising this opportunity? I’ve been on various committees and had various relationships with lots of you. But there are lots of you, far more of you, that haven’t met me. It’d be arro-
gant of me to assume you’d even want to in the first place, but then taking me out of the picture, is there somebody you’d like to get to know but just forgot about that text or passed them on the way to Costcutter and chose not to acknowledge them with a smile, nod or hello? I know I could have done better. I’ll end this reflection with a request. Why not ensure you’re making the most of the immediate proximity you have to this many people? You may never again be fortunate enough to live amongst people of such similar ages and interests. Make a promise to yourself; by the end of Week 3 of this term, break out of your usual friendship groups for a tiny while and befriend a new person, be it on your course, your corridor or your team. It could be the start of something beautiful! Who knows, they could even be for life. If not, campus is a big place to hide in!
All Chet's future friends...
Tired of her insipid life in York, Esme Anderson immersed herself in the world of 'The Wire'. She has since lost all touch with reality...
ESME ANDERSON T
he Wire fever hit Britain about two years ago. In dribs and drabs more people began to watch it and even more began to talk about it. Within weeks it was heralded as ‘the greatest dramatic television ever produced’. It was hard to ignore the hype but it was a very selective hype. The only people I knew who raved about it were either people with the Pandora’s box of entertainment, also known as Sky, or those with enough money to buy the DVD box set. When living off the British government’s measly student loan, which I tend to piffle away on VKs in Gallery, the DVD box set was the last thing I could expect to fit into my weekly budget. Why was I going to buy something that had only been advised by friends of my parents who were * gasp * Adults? Its about everyday life in Baltimore, a relatively unknown North American city and deals with the relationship between corrupt cops and the city’s drug dealers and the gang related warfare rife in the streets – it seemed a little to highbrow for me. The breadth of my usual TV watching only stretches from X factor to the occasional ‘catch up’ episode of Hollyoaks. Finally, during the holidays I gave in; a family friend force series one upon
me, claiming I absolutely HAD to watch it. Slightly begrudgingly I inserted the first DVD into the player and squeezed onto the sofa between my parents. An episode and a half later I was hooked. In one fell swoop I bid goodbye to my social life, my sleep and my degree. I unashamedly LOVE The Wire! In the space of a couple of weeks I had begged borrowed and would’ve been very much prepared to steal to get my hands on the second series which focused on a different aspect of Baltimore life. It matters little how distant the themes of The Wire are, (by this I mean the carefree gun crime), from my paltry student life – it has been described as a ‘visual novel’, and for an avid reader
"It matters little how distant the themes of The Wire are from my paltry student life." like me, this goes some way to explaining my subsequent obsession. It is gripping, full of twists and harrowing stories, and involves every theme from drug addiction, debt, vice, homosexuality, corruption, to doll’s house furniture and the elusive ‘Greeks’. There are often over forty named characters that feature in any one series and by the end I could easily tell you, their names, their story so far, their enemies, what they say, and when they say it. After getting my hands on the com-
plete box set, every waking hour I could possibly give up was donated to watching it. In about three weeks, it wholly consumed my life. I would surreptitiously lock myself up in my room and stay up watching it until five in the morning. I put off writing assessed essays, and when it came
"I even began to suspect that every SUV with tinted windows in York was owned by a corrupt drug dealer." to handing them in, I usually managed to fit in a cheeky parallel between eighteenth century literature and The Wire. It was all I could talk and think about, I would spout up about the character’s daily lives at any opportunity, analysing their every move, and discussing them as though we were on first name terms. I bored everyone, incessantly recommended it, and probably lost a few friends along the way. Whenever I found someone who had watched even one episode I would annoyingly latch onto them and start blurting quotes from the show in the worst Baltimore accent possible. I even began to suspect that every four wheel drive SUV with tinted windows in York was owned by a corrupt drug dealer who, wanting out of ‘the game’, desired only a comfortable 9-5 job living with his family and kids. My favourite character from the show has to be Omar, a gay Robin Hood style stick up man who robs drug dealers for the sake of it. In homage to him, I recently petitioned to name my family’s new cat after him.
I urge everyone and anyone to watch the wire. If you missed the recent airing of it on BBC2 please scrounge the DVDs off someone and fast. It really is the best TV ever. And don't be put off by its gritty, unvarnished realism. Comprehending the Baltimore idioms and inflections can intially be challenging, but once mastered, you'll be equipped with the skills of a linguist professor. Learning French may be sexy, but talking "Baltimore" may save your life! My family and friends are relieved that I’ve finished watching it, but if I’m honest I’m grieving; there is now a gaping hole in my life. I’m now just biding my time for when I can start watching it all over again.
Langrish the 2008 elections The Wire:during Arresting your development.
COMMENT&DEBATE
YORK VISION
Tuesday March 17th 2009
COMMENT & DEBATE Tormented by nature Harry Pearse takes refuge from sunburn and scorn in the pages of Vision...
HARRY PEARSE T
HE SUN IS SHINING! OH, WHAT WONDERFUL WEATHER! Blah blah blah. The sun has come out. Hoo-fucking-ray. Subjected to this cacophony of positive bleating I now have tinnitus to accompany the other, more natural physical effects of hot weather. Attentive Vision apostles may remember my fellow columnist Dan Hewitt delighting you with a similar attack on the irritation and discomfort wrought by English weather. So, before I begin my invective a few distinctions should be drawn. The focus of Dan’s ire was snow, mine is heat, so immediately, he should be considered the curmudgeon. Snow is a rare pleasure. It excites every child and encourages behaviour that gives the world some respite from its laborious over-seriousness. The sun is an ever-present cosmological…thingy that, at best, induces people to quit cities, head to the coast, and eat chips and candyfloss until they’re ill. Snow connotes festivity, the sun evokes arid-
ity. Dan chose to attack an occasional treat, I am bemoaning an ever-present scourge. Naturally I have no scruples with the aesthetics of either snow or sunny weather; both make a nice change from rain. It is what they do to the human body, (mine in particular), that causes me to prefer the latter. Sure, snow means it’s going to be cold. But additional layers fix that; a theory that can be applied almost ad infinitum. Heat on the other hand makes one sweaty. Yes, layers can be shed, but only within the bounds of social acceptance. A group of naked old people sunbathing on a hot day would undoubtedly cause more grief than a group of duffel coat clad pensioners huddling for warmth.
"The layer of perspiration that hijacked your body dries, encasing its prisoner in a brittle sweat-shell." Sweat is a fairly unappealing human trait. Your friends
may tell you you’re “glowing”, the sycophants among them may even celebrate your “incandescence”, but the reality is that you look shiny, sticky and flustered. The body has a variety of mechanisms that enable it to secrete unwanted fluids, and none of them are particularly attractive. Worse still, sweat just doesn’t feel nice. It either, imprisons you in a moist prison that becomes increasingly confined as more items of clothing become stuck to your gasping body. Or, the layer of perspiration that hijacked your body dries, encasing its prisoner in a brittle sweat-shell that only the most excoriating shower can remove. That’s not to mention the acrid smell that quickly develops if groups of people, (usually male), simultaneously experience this physiological blessing… To compliment their shiny exteriors. sun-kissed individuals undergo a change of complexion . Healthy rosiness this is not. It’s a look that conjures images of exhausted marathon runners or drunken old men. All of a sudden, any activity entails the risk of looking ridiculous. Walking is nice, but hit a hill and the face suffers badly. I cycled to Uni the other day. As I left my house I looked relatively normal. I arrived a damp, breathless tomato. Finally, the onset of hot weather carries with it a regrettable fashion necessity. Most people I know, me espe-
cially, do not look comfortable in shorts. My legs are not for display. They serve a mundane, though essential purpose for which I ensure they are equipped and strong enough to fulfil, and, whenever I can, I keep them sheathed and protected from the elements and hostile opinion. However, when the sun gets its way I’m forced to release them and prance around in midget trousers. No one, me included, wants to see that. Me and my naked legs spent several days revising in the library, writhing in our hot and sweaty misery. I sat my exam and it began to rain. Brilliant.
Man in shorts. Beautiful.
Targeted by Facebook Ads, could Chris Burgess be tempted into plagiarism?
CHRIS BURGESS R
ecently I’ve been looking at the adverts to the right of my Facebook profile more than usual. Amongst the more sensationalist (“Swine Flu Protection ... get your face masks now while stocks are still available”) and the downright hilarious (“CatChoir iPhone App ... the app that lets you conduct a chorus of cats”) is something more interesting. A company called Oxbridge Essays are advertising their essay writing services, promising to provide me with “guaranteed 1st class and 2:1 Essays.” Lucky me. Their website promises me an essay that is “100% original, fully customised and referenced to your specifications.” I will be the “first and only student ever to receive the piece of custom work” that they send me. But don’t worry, they aren’t helping me plagiarise, because the work they provide is “designed to offer you an example of how an experienced and accom-
plished academic would approach the question or project you have been set.” That’s fine then. Just look at who benefits if I buy. As Oxbridge Essays only wants the best, they obviously only employ writers who are current or former students of Oxford or Cambridge. Such a person can expect “up to £190” for a “standard 1st Class essay.” Better still “A Next-Day Top 1st essay earns a writer up to £500.” An Oxbridge student could clean up. In these depressing economic times, can we really blame them for making the best of the skills
"Guaranteed 1st class and 2:1 Essays. Lucky Me." they have? Using their price calculator, I found that if I want that 3000 word English essay (to consult when writing my own, naturally) by 9 o’clock tomorrow, I will have to pay £1245. Clearly this price would only be payable by the wealthiest of students, and the rich, traditionally the most honest and trustworthy of us all, are the least likely to misuse the serv-
ice, aren’t they? If not, doesn’t their money entitle them to special treatment over the rest of us anyway? Unfortunately, Oxbridge Essays have covered themselves perfectly adequately by declaring that they simply offer model essays. The student who hands in Oxbridge Essays’ work as their own is in the wrong, not the company, in the same way that Ford are not at fault if I use my Ka as a (admittedly pitiful) getaway car. This doesn’t make it ethically defensible, but it is defensible enough to run a company. There is nothing new about the services that Oxbridge Essays provide or the way they defend them. The depressing thing now is that their adverts are specifically targeting students. Facebook shows us a selection of adverts tailored to our profile information, as anyone changing their relationship status because they are tired of being offered “sexy single girls in York” will tell you. Anyone can create an advert, and making sure that students see your ad is as simple as selecting the “at University” option at the “Targeting” stage. As a student, this is a problem. Even though essay writing services have always been a quick google away, being bombarded with information
about them where we spend most of our internet lives is an unwanted temptation. I don’t know about you, but my Facebook procrastination steadily increases as an essay deadline approaches. Minds less fortified (and with larger wallets) than ours may give in and plagiarise when confronted with adverts offering a solution to the problem they initially went online to ignore. There will always be people willing to provide essays for a price. Despite the cost, some students will always be willing to cheat to succeed. Facebook makes money from the adverts, so it doesn’t ask questions. The only way we can even attempt to make a difference is by playing by Facebook’s rules. So let’s all start clicking the thumbs-down beneath Oxbridge Essays’ adverts, so that they know that we honest, hardworking students disagree with plagiarism.
9
BEAR DALE He's probably got Swine Flu, but the press should stop reminding him.
I
s anyone else a little tired of the media over-exciting people’s fears about pandemics? With the recent attention newspapers and broadcasters have given to Swine Flu, I’ve been thinking about how the media seems to exploit people's existing apocalyptic fears by overhyping viruses like Swine Flu and Bird Flu. When Swine Flu was first brought to my attention last week, I wasn’t surprised and I certainly wasn’t scared. Instead, I found myself imagining Rupert Murdoch et al making ‘cha-ching’ noises. It seems to me that there’s a pattern emerging. Every few years the media pick up a new pandemic, massively over-hype it, start eulogising our time on earth and then wait until they’re ultimately proven wrong. Most recently they’ve focused on Swine Flu, before that it was Bird Flu, and in 2003-4 there was SARS. The final death toll of the SARS epidemic (officially it didn’t make it to a pandemic) was 774, yet the press coverage suggested that SARS was an acronym for the names of the four horsemen! The press jump on these epidemics and manipulate the use of statistics to make us frightened. By creating mass hysteria, the industry is creating interest, which is essential for the lining of their pockets. This isn’t anything new, newspapers and broadcasters obviously rely on interest to keep their industry going, whether it comes from panic about epidemics or more positive things like winning major sporting events. Sadly, the media manipulates the public mood rather than being a reflection of it.
"Sadly, the media manipulates the public mood rather than being a reflection of it." I accept that it’s the media’s job to communicate news and without it, the spreading of such diseases and viruses could be much worse. And I by no means intend to belittle those who have died in any of these outbreaks. Their deaths are a tragic event. Yet the media exploits these tragedies, turning them into statistics likely to create further business. There are thousands of viruses and diseases that kill millions of people, yet owing to western wealth and medicine we are largely left unaffected and the media ignores them. Essentially, by engendering hysteria the media desensitises people to these threats. People like me will increasingly view reports of outbreaks with cynicism. When a truly disastrous pandemic does occur, the media may suffer the same fate as ‘the boy who cried wolf ’. The press must become a more responsible organ of communication or its reporting will have adverse effects on its audience. I’m not at all opposed to the reporting of Swine Flu, I accept that it is a threat that needs coverage. Yet news reports should end, as I will, with a reassurance that the government is doing all it can to stop the spreading of the virus, and in any case the vast majority of people are unlikely to be affected by it.
10
YORK VISION
SATIRE
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
THE SKETCH:
The Vision Mailroom
(Based on actual letters)
YORK VISION
FEATURES
11
FEATURES
V
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
PANIC ON THE STREETS OF LONDON
A far from intrepid Will Wainewright prepares for an anarchist riot…
I
’ve never been to a riot before. I’ve been to a fair few football matches in my time, seen the odd scuffle with police, that sort of thing, but nothing really serious. And that’s fine with me. Being a natural coward, I can’t say that I’m disappointed about it. Put it this way: I’m not shedding tears over the fact that civil unrest seems a foreign concept in twenty-first century Britain. It’s not hard to see why. There doesn’t seem much left to protest about these days. It is fair to say that Iraq made us students mount our moral high-horse a few years ago, but we’re basically out of there now. Tuition fees are a pain in the backside, but I’m not going to petrol-bomb Whitehall over it. In fact, I can honestly say that the biggest thing I have got to moan about at the moment is my football club – Southampton, if you’re interested – so things can’t be that bad. No one’s burning buildings over it. Not that I want them to, of course, but my point is that few issues really serve to stir the masses to riot. This perhaps explains the intense media excitement in the build-up to the G20 protests in London last month. For here (if the reports were to be believed) was a day where anti-capitalist protestors – from those who had lost their jobs in the credit crunch to anarchists – would lay siege to the streets of London and transform its financial centre into a warzone. Every protest issue going was up for grabs on a day dubbed ‘financial fools day’ as a sign of disrespect to the bankers who had brought the capitalist system to its knees. From the environment to capitalism, it was every protestor’s dream and media speculation grew at the scale of the demonstrations. Could the protestors embarrass Gordon Brown on the eve of his big day?
Now I, being both ideologically indecisive and a natural coward, stayed well out of it but I was intrigued by what the protestors themselves were actually moaning about. After all, they were tackling the daddy of all protest targets: Capitalism. Fox-hunting is one thing, Iraq another, but the economic structure upon which the West has flourished (ignoring, of course, the credit crunch) for the past two hundred years? It doesn’t get much bigger than that. I also admit to an oddly voyeuristic desire to see whether things would get out of hand. After all, civil unrest is hard to picture in our comfortable, neatly-ordered society. Flashes may occur during big setpiece protests – such as the Poll Tax riots in 1990 – but wide-scale rioting seems to belong to a bygone age when it was possible for thousands of gin-sozzled Londoners to wreak havoc on their city for days, as they did during the Gordon Riots of 1780. If the trouble-making population of Great Britain can get in a fuss over a law banning fox-hunting (as they did in 2004), a protest attacking capitalism itself was bound to end in trouble. And judging by the media reports in the build up to the protest, you would be lucky to find a lamppost which did not have a banker hanging from it by the end of the day. Trouble was expected, and the biggest police operation in London’s history was launched to counter the threat from peaceful protestors, I mean violent anarchists. The media stood by, hoping for a punch-up at the very least. I headed to the City for a nosey. What they got instead was a broken window, about a hundred arrests and a ridiculously disproportionate police response. Let me give you a flavour of the “riots.” Whenever anything exciting happened, cam-
Whenever anything exciting happened, cameras outnumbered protestors by three to one
eras outnumbered protestors by three to one (remember the sea of flashbulbs as RBS was smashed into?) Boxed in by a police force that seemed desperate to make matters worse, for every hooded “anarchist” there were five protestors out to make a point about having lost their job and pension, ten hippies and twenty bystanders desperate for a piss. Though it would be possible to frame the day in pantomime terms – the bankers lived up to their role as villains with distinction by waving wads of cash at the jeering protestors below – it was not a nice day. Riots are not nice. The streets reeked of tension, helped in no small part by the gangs of riot police lurking on street corners. The protestors boxed in by police outside the Bank of England grew understandably angry and fractious as the day wore on – the tactic was a ridiculous way to cope with a largely peaceful protest and was only likely to increase the level of tension. The supposed “anarchist groups” expected to descend on the City to vent what I can only imagine to be their constipation-like fury never turned up anyway. I only saw a few blokes wearing face-scarves – I thought they were cold. If they had, maybe the police would have been justified in their actions. But it seems to me that a couple of nutters smashing the glass front of a bank does not justify robbing three thousand people of their human rights for nine hours. From Bank I walked round the corner to Bishopsgate, where a sea of tents and a banner proclaiming “nature doesn’t do bailouts” marked the start of Climate Camp, an environmental protest.
I saw a
few anarchists wearing head-
scarves; I thought they were cold.
But honestly, who doesn't take shortcuts to save ddd time, or walks because the taxi queue is too long? Emily Hodges looks at student attitudes to safety in York.
Suddenly, it’s Glastonbury. The atmosphere is calm and groups of smoking hippies gather around guitars and sing about how nasty MacDonalds is. Kids who should probably be at school (their banner proclaiming ‘bank is wank’ was testament to that) stood around wondering if anything exciting was going to happen. It did in the end, as the riot police – obviously disappointed by the lack of a fight over at Bank – decide to create one by boxing in the utterly peaceful protest. It seemed a crazy move and led to clashes at the frontline. Some of the battering was brutal and although I do not blame the police themselves – more to blame are the superiors who ordered them into such a situation – some of them were clearly up for a fight. The atmosphere turned even uglier as bleeding protestors were pulled out from the crowd – what ever happened to the days of policemen linking arms and creating a jovial atmosphere to control crowds? It’s all batons and shields and fractured skulls these days, no fun at all. I went home after that. Riots just are not fun. From the provocation of the protestors to the heavy-handed response of the police, neither side covered themselves in glory. The tragedy of the day – aside from the death of innocent bystander Ian Tomlinson – was that the mostly valid message of the protestors was overshadowed by events. It seems to me that those who have lost their jobs in the recession – brought about by a credit crunch caused in large part by the endemic greed and unimpeded malpractice of the banking industry – have valid cause for complaint. But I did learn three things: anarchists are not scary, or brave (and they have to readjust their headscarves every twenty minutes). The police need to radically rethink their crowd control strategies. Oh, and the face of popular protest in twenty-first century Britain? That’d be a broken window.
P12-13
BJORN P14 AGAIN
12 FEATURES
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 5th, 2009
ARE STUDENTS In the light of a spate of incidents involving students both on and off campus, take their
T
he end of term for most students normally means going back home for the holidays, and at least a couple of weeks free from York and the university. Except this holiday, the national news reports on the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence, a chef at our very own Goodricke College, made York difficult to forget. Watching the BBC news, only to see CCTV footage of Goodricke College reception or reports filmed on your route to campus
is a little unnerving. To many students, it acted to bring the issue of their own security home. “It definitely makes you think about your safety”, said Rachel, a second year sociology student. “When you see things like this on the news, it always makes you feel bad, but it’s not someone you know. You always think it won’t happen to you, until it’s right on your own doorstep, somewhere you walk every day.” But does an event like this
actually change anything? Even Rachel admitted, “I do worry more now, but I’ll still walk home on my own”. So if something so high profile happening in such close proximity to the areas of York where students spend their time doesn’t affect us, then what will? What does it take for students to take their own safety seriously? It’s worth saying that, in the case of Claudia Lawrence, the police are focusing on her disappearance being connected to someone she knew. And although she is not a student, her connection to the University has made this a notable case for many students in the JUNE 2008 area. On the whole, York is a safe place to be - the University’s website proVision reports on a series of attacks on York students off cammotes York as “usually a very safe city to live in”, pus, including a gang vicously beating a group of second years and crime levels in the after a night out. city for incidents like violence, thefts, and sexual offences are all very close OCTOBER 2008 to the national average figures. That said, it doesn’t Female students are approached by a stranger on their way mean the city is comback to Halifax College near to 22 Acres, during Welcome Week. pletely immune to violent incidents. It’s not rare to see York Press newsNOVEMBER 2008 paper stands reporting murders or assaults in the city, and there’s barePolice investigate a sexual assault on Heslington Lane. ly an issue of Vision or Nouse that doesn’t feature another story of a student DECEMBER 2008 suffering some kind of brutal attack. Instances of students coming under Vision reports on the inadequate lighting around campus, after around campus, students report of being approached on routes off campus while attack in town or in the popular on their own at night. student rental areas of the city do happen. A university spokesman disclosed JANUARY 2009 there have been a total of 10 recorded assaults on campus since 2006. The case of a Goodricke student being attacked by a gang near Furthermore, figures obtained by Vision from Alcuin College is reported by Vision. the North Yorkshire Police at the end of the autumn term (19/12/2008)
IN THE ARCHIVES
suggest that these kinds of incidents are on the rise. Both reported violent crime and alcohol-related crime incidents on campus rose dramatically in 2008, compared to the previous year. YUSU Womens Officer Ellie Kuper Thomas thinks a balanced attitude is needed. “I don’t think students should panic – especially in the Claudia Lawrence case, where police are investigating more into her personal life and people she knew – and students shouldn’t feel that their movements are restricted and they can’t go anywhere on their own, or do
I could see him turning around, and he started walking behind me. I ran the rest of the way. anything. But I do think it’s important to take precautions, and to use things like the free student bus, and make use of the attack alarms available from the Union. It’s important to be aware – walking on main roads, and being ready to take that extra five minutes to avoid the shortcuts.” Talking to people around campus, it seems like everyone has some story, whether their own or from someone they know, of a bad experience happening when walking around York or the campus. One sec-
ond year student told Vision about her experience one night on the way to the pub. “I was walking to meet my friends like normal, after finishing work at ten. Along the street, I noticed a man walking towards me. Just in front of me, he stopped in the middle of the street and stared at me. I kept walking and headed round him. I could see him turning around, and he started walking behind me. I got scared then, and ran the rest of the way. He didn’t follow me, and it could have been nothing, but it really shook me up. I get a taxi back from work now, or walk with a friend, just to be on the safe side.” But if student have had bad experiences, they certainly don’t act like it. The results of a Vision survey among students on campus showed that the large majority of students, two thirds, admitted that they would walk home on their own from town on a night, even though they don’t feel safe when doing so. One first year even said she would be more likely to walk home when she was drunk after a night out. Kuper Thomas believes it can take a shocking experience to make people aware: “I think for a lot of people it would take something to happen to someone they know before they take things seriously, which really is a mistake. That’s why we need to keep people aware and make them remember that these things are serious. York can seem like a very safe place, especially to students who come from bigger towns, and I think it’s easy to get complacent. Things can still happen and it’s not worth taking risks.”Female students in particular confessed to feeling unsafe when walking home – 86% of them had worries about
FEATURES
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 5th, 2009
13
SAFE AT NIGHT? Emily Hodges asks: what does it take for students to safety seriously? after dark, despite 60% saying they regularly would do so. So why take the risk? The top reason for walking was a lack of money. “If I could afford a taxi, I would take one instead of walking” admitted one student. YUSU Welfare are keen to promote their Magic Bus service, which will drop students at their houses or on campus from town for a voluntary donation, and personal alarms are available from the YUSU office. Students who have run out of money on a night out can borrow money from the porter, and porters will also escort students to anywhere on campus at night if requested Some of these services, like borrowing money from (any 24 hour) Porters Lodge were
unknown to students. Kuper Thomas admitted “People don’t really know enough about these things that are on offer – I think they get promoted a lot in Fresher’s Week in the nine o’clock welcome lectures, which is why no-one finds out about them! They need to be publicised more. I also think more can be done for safety on campus.” In a previous issue, Vision highlighted the lack of suitable lighting in certain areas of campus used frequently by students as routes on and off campus. Windmill Lane leading to Tang Hall, the area around 22 Acres, Walmgate Stray, and paths near to Derwent College were all areas where concerns over the standard of lighting were
raised. The lighting is something that the YUSU Welfare and Women’s Committee are currently working on with the University, especially around Halifax and the alley onto Heslington Road, along the Retreat. Derwent Welfare rep, Samuel Houlders supported the university’s efforts on Welfare. “I believe that the university and YUSU put the personal safety of students on the top of their respective agendas. We have systems in place whereby porters can pay for taxis home after a night out, and YUSU run the Magic Bus every evening. A common misconception is that the bus is for girls only, but this is not true. While preference may be given to lone female travelers, anyone can use the service.” Ultimately though, there’s only so much that the university and the union can do. Students can be given all the advice in the world, but the whole thing about being at university is independence and making your own decisions; your parents aren’t there to check up on what time you got home. If you want to walk home on your own, no one is going to stop you. YUSU have been criticised in the past for not issuing personal alarms or making security talks compulsory. But recent reports about underuse of the Magic Bus service suggest that students just aren’t that bothered in the first place. It's worth emphasising that York is a safe place, but is that reason enough for students to feel complacent about their safety? Or does it mean that however many incidents there are in the York area, students are just not bothered enough by it to change their behaviour? We all know that safety is important - it's been drilled into us all our lives. But honestly, who doesn't
take shortcuts to save time, or walks because the taxi queue is too long? Risking our safety is something that everyone does on a daily basis, to some extent at least. The question is, what does it take for this to change?
Really it’s up to the individual to decide how important their safety is to them. We should just hope that it doesn’t take something serious to happen before people will stop taking risks.
The Numbers 8/10 the average rating students gave York for safety.
2/3 of students would walk home alone after a night out.
3/4 are worried about walking home alone at night.
100%
increase in violent crime reported in Dec 2007 - Nov 2008, compared to Dec 2006 - Nov 2007.
10 recorded assaults on campus since 2006.
14
YORK VISION
FEATURES
BJORN AGAIN The world's most successful tribute band talks to Vision's Jake Soule about twenty years of churning out someone else's hits
I
t can’t be easy being in a tribute band. The bigger the band is the harder it must get, especially when the genuine article may well threaten to regroup and embark on a one-off tour that will inevitably consign you even further into obscurity and, frankly, pointlessness. That’s why Rod Stephen’s idea in 1988 to form an Abba tribute act of sorts seems so crazy. There were not only the stipulations already laid out, but on top of these there was the gaping hindrance of Abba not even being particu-
larly well liked in 1988. Surely an imitation of a band whose status in the musical industry at the time was something of a joke, could only fail. Against all odds though, Rod overcame these teething problems and created a worldwide phenomenon. He puts the success of Bjorn Again down to the fact that they never set out to be an ordinary tribute band: “In fact,” he says, “We’re not a tribute band at all. We’re not even really a band. That’s just a label that was put on us at the beginning. We’re more of an act or a show”. With over 150 performers worldwide doing the Bjorn Again show, often in front of audiences as big if not bigger than the ones Abba themselves performed for, the tribute band label is indeed an unfair one. Bjorn Again is more of a tribute to the glamour of the seventies than just a gushing reenactment of Abba favourites. Whilst the show does feature four performers who look like the original m e m b e r s of the band performing all the usual Abba hits, Rod
is keen to point out that they do not merely labour through a repetoire: “Bjorn Again looks like Abba but we try to mix it up a bit and make the show interesting and a bit different. A good example is our rendition of ‘Take a Chance’, in which the guys dress up as rappers and do a breakdown of a section of the song in rap. You can’t really imagine Abba ever doing that.” He thinks that Bjorn Again has more in common with the musical 'Mamma Mia' than Abba the band. Rod's diplomacy was admirable when I asked him about Pierce Brosnan's performance in the film version. "I thought his performance was actually very comendable." Strangely enough, Rod wasn’t an obsessive Abba fan when he came up with the idea. He saw them instead as the band that best represented the glamour of the seventies and therefore as ideal for his “show” to revolve around. He considered Queen and The Beatles as other possible targets but decided that because, at the time, Abba weren’t so revered they would be easier to send-up: “They were the perfect targets because they were not a serious band – they were something of a send-up themselves.” Rod’s been putting on Bjorn Again shows for twentyone years now, a year longer than the humble writer of this article has been alive. They have performed all over the world in 61 countries in total and have grossed a frankly staggering 100 million AUD. In fact, Rod seems to prefer to call Bjorn Again a trademark brand or a company rather
We're not a tribute band at all. We're not even really a band. than a musical group. When asked what his favourite Bjorn Again gig has been (they have performed approximately 4300 times since 1988), Rod declared it to be a “dead heat.” They performed at the 1992 Reading Festival at the request of Kurt Cobain, bizarrely enough, who famously headlined that year with Nirvana. “Kurt used to listen to Abba songs on the tour bus apparently; he admired their song writing craft. All three members of Nirvana were big fans of Bjorn Again believe it or not. I remember turning on MTV back in 1991 and seeing Dave Grohl wearing one of our t-shirts in an interview.” They played the festival and performed their own unique version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to thousands of rock fans. “It was a great moment to be at this festival with all these hardcore rockers. I was a bit worried about how we’d go down but in the end the crowd reaction was just unbelievable.” His other favourite show was a bit more recent,
and perhaps, even more satisfying. It was in Stockholm, appropriately enough, when Rod was backstage preparing. Someone stuck their head round the door and announced to him that Agnetha Faltskog, the reclusive vocalist of Abba was in the audience. “I didn’t believe it until she came backstage to introduce herself. When I saw her come into the dressing room I was still stunned to see that it was actually her. She was really nice, said how much she liked the band. I’ve even got a video of her dancing to our version of ‘Dancing Queen.’” Bjorn Again may have been performing Abba's songs for a substantially longer time than Abba ever did themselves, but there are no plans to bring the show to a halt anytime soon. "I think we'll continue for at least another five or ten years. As long as people want to see Abba's songs performed the Bjorn Again way then I'll continue putting on the shows." The band is embarking on the festival circuit this summer with Glastonbury and Bestival appearances lined up. The reaction from the original members of Abba has vindicated Rod’s project. Benny Andersson, one of the original Abba lineup, reportedly declared: “Fans had better make the most out of Björn Again because that’s the closest they are going to get to seeing Abba. Abba will never reform.” As far as praise goes for a tribute band that’s just about as good as it gets.
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
15
LETS GET PISTED!
Rachel Knox reminises about slopes and shots on the YUSnow ski trip...
A
fter going on the ski trip last year I pretty much knew what to expect - long days skiing, crazy drunken nights, waking up still in fancy dress, and unmistakable chants of ‘SHOE IT!’ (A rather sophisticated game where everyone must place one shoe on their head, and the last one to do so, drinks their beverage out of their shoe. Yum.) This year’s trip was no different. My friends and I came back with just as many drunken tales to tell and in need of another holiday to recover, from both the holiday and the immense amount of Facebook tagging that needed to be done on the masses of photos. The only grumble I have about the ski trip is how it starts - the endless coach trip. There are only so many films and games of ipod Monopoly you can play before sitting on a coach really starts to piss you off (especially when you wake up to find someone’s been sick on the coach - from alcohol, don’t feel sorry for him!). But it’s all worth it in the end, and once you arrive in the snow memories of sore bums and trying to sleep sitting up just melt away. With every night a different theme, including a ‘surprise’ theme set by our tour guides which saw all 200 of us walking through Val Thorens dressed in painting jump suits, the nights all turned into one giant sport social but in a more scenic setting than Ziggy's. The best night, hands down, was the tarts and tutus night. Not only was it one of the best themes but it was also my 20th, and to be honest, all passed in a bit of a blur. After a few drinking games in one of the
Jim and m
e on the s
lopes...
rooms, we headed out all dressed up as drunken fairies. Personally, I was already past tipsy and was not only donning a tutu but also covered in balloons (which probably pissed off a few people once we got into the jam-packed bar as I was taking up twice the space I should have done and, apparently, shouting "I’m 20, I’m 20!" to everyone in sight). The actual skiing part of the trip was every bit as amazing as the nightlife. Val Thorens is a brilliant place to ski and many of us bought passes that allowed us into the neighbouring resorts of Meribel and La Courchevel, giving you three times as many slopes and no opportunity to get bored. While the drunken foolishness of the trip is what you're most likely to remember and laugh about later, daytime in the resort can be every bit as fun. In my experience one of the best times on the ski trip is sitting down for lunch, in a big group, in the middle of fantastic scenery or on your way up different slopes on chair lifts checking out the view. I think sometimes while you're skiing you don’t appreciate what a beautiful place you're in, what with trying to make it down the piste alive and all that. I think it's probably safe to say my place on the trip next year is practically already booked...
e 20th drunk
ness...
The girls top night..and me on tour .
"Once You Pop You Just Can't Stop"
I
k n o w you’re out there, you’re sat there now, in the library, in the Courtyard or maybe on Vanbrugh Paradise, f e e l i n g the sun on your face and feeling pretty damn pleased with yourself. Because you got away with it, or you think you did. Then BAM, they walk by, you smile, half wave, don’t know whether you should be waving, so you stop and pretend to read Bad Taste, but now they’re waving, and you’re blushing, and.... there they’ve gone. You wonder if your girlfriend (or boyfriend), visiting from Devon for the weekend, has noticed the way your hands are shaking... I am talking, of course, about your one night stand. In a place as small as York, one night stands are unlikely to end at one night. Your random shag is more certain to reappear than that ill-advised Oki’s kebab you consumed in a drunken post-Gallery frenzy. You’ll see your one night stand staring back at you on the bus. In Costcutter. In lectures. You might even see them coming out of your best mate’s room at half eight on a Wednesday morning. But when your one night stand is standing in for your regular squeeze, the picture gets a bit more complicated, especially in this small a university. Infidelity is considered by
Kelly Holt shakes her head at York's serial cheaters...
many to be a integral part of your university career, especially if your regular partner is far away in Bangor or the wilds of Milton Keynes. Of all the people I talk to when researching this article, it is perhaps Luke who is most shamefaced. He tells me his sordid tale of cheating in an undertone, with quick, nervous movements, and seemingly, a desperate need for me to understand why he did what he did. "When I came to uni, I was in a long term relationship with a girl at home, she was pretty, sweet and rather cool," he tells me, to approving nods. But the story gets darker,and my encouraging nods become exasperated shakes, as Luke admits, "When I came to York with all the buzz of Freshers week and the amount of ‘sex’ available and just the general atmosphere of trying to impress people and fit in, I managed to cheat and as Pringles claim ‘once you pop you can’t stop’. When I had done it once, I found it easy to justify it to myself that it was okay and it didn’t mean anything." But Luke’s aim to fit in, he readily admits, backfired when his housemates met his girlfriend when she came to visit him, and they all decided, unanimously, that she was too good for him. "It soon becomes obvious that nobody thinks cheating is clever; people think a lot less of you and as a consequence of the small, close-knit community, everyone knows the worst things you’ve done. For a lot of people it was the first thing they knew about me, and it took me a long time to win around a lot of people to thinking I am actually a nice guy. I was just assumed to be a bad person by the people i was trying to get to know and become friends with." Luke’s sorry tale is one end of the spectrum. He is still with his girlfriend, who is none the wiser about her boyfriend’s lothario antics, despite the fact that Luke admits, "York University is not that big and you are quite likely to see your mistake quite frequently around campus." But a second year sociology student I speak to, Jessica, is not quite so repentant. She frankly admits that her (now ex) boyfriend was "rub-
bish in bed" and that when she got to university she just "went about my life as if I were single... I was hundreds of miles away, and the more I could get away with the more I kept doing it. I think I got a bit of a buzz from the effort I had to go to, to stop him realising what was going on." Like Luke, Jessica tells me that there was also an element of fitting in involved: "it meant when I went out with all my single friends I didn’t feel like the the boring, shacked up one in the corner. Of course, I could have broken up with him, but we’d been together so long, I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. So I just continued being the good, loyal girlfriend to his face, and the cheating bitch behind his back." And it’s not just when the relationship is long distance that illicit liasons become the plat du jour; one third year I talk to tells me that she knows her long term, and supposedly exclusive relationship, is fraught with angst, because she knows that her boyfriend cheats on her as a matter of course when on tour with the rugby team. She is shocked when I ask her if she ever cheats. Of course she doesn’t. She loves him. And Ben, a first year economics student tells me that although he and his girlfriend of four years chose to come to the same university because of their relationship, he sees her once a week at most, and regularly cheats on her with other students, and so far, he hasn’t been found out. It all sounds pretty bleak, or really cool depending on your viewpoint, but it has to be said that for every person I talk to who admits to cheating in their relationships, there are ten more who tell me that cheating on their partner has never crossed their mind. But they aren’t included in this article because the most exciting story any of them told me involved an early night with a cup of hot chocolate and the mobile phone poised by the bed, waiting eagerly for that scheduled nine o’clock phonecall. Boring maybe, but at least they don’t have to hide from their one night stand in the organic foods aisle every time they pop to Costcutter.
16 LIFESTYLE
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
LIFESTYLE
VISION'S 15 things...
A WEEK AS... LABOUR CLUB PRESIDENT
Levene lets us into the world of student politics and fills us in on 'Never to do in David what the Labour Club are up to... a lecture' hen I was asked to write this, until David cancelled two days before fighting the BNP), and co-ordinating
1) Streak. Nobody wants to see.
2) Accidentally get a boner. And if you do at least try to hide it.
3) Be that person everyone hates because they ask really pointless questions. 4) Have sex with the lecturer.
5) Have sex with anyone... Really anything sexual won't go down well. 6) Start off a game of ‘bogies'.
7) Continue said game of 'bogies'. Infact shouting anything at all isn't really a good idea. 7) Go fancy don’t doing
in last nights dress outfit; we need to know you're the walk of shame!
9) Sit at the front. Loser.
10) Make it go on any longer. Everybody dislikes people who ask questions, don’t make it any worse and ask a question when it gets close to quarter past…
W
I was both very very flattered and extremely surprised that anyone would care about what the Chair of a political society gets up to, so I promise to make this as interesting as I possibly can! Last Wednesday, an article I wrote about the Labour Party’s relationship with the Trade Unions went live on the site LabourList.org. It was a follow-up to the Labour National Youth Day – basically a conference for young people in Labour – which happened the week before. Being involved in the Labour grassroots often means challenging the people who run the show – in this case, I wasn’t happy with the answers to a question I had asked, so I decided to do a blog about it. Part of the deal with getting published on LabourList is that you have to reply to comments on it frequently – so that provided a good distraction from essays for a few hours over the next few days! The first Labour Club event of term was a talk by former Home Secretary David Blunkett. We were very excited about this: obviously because he’s such an important figure within the party, but also because he would be the third high-profile speaker for Labour Club this year (more than any other political society, I can’t resist adding). Organising an event is very stressful: you have to liaise with the campus media, with the porters and the facilities manager, you have to make sure it’s well publicised, and in the case of someone like Blunkett, you even have to make sure Special Branch are happy! Fortunately, we have some great people helping out in Labour Club, particularly our Secretary Michael Sanders, so it all went fairly smoothly. That is,
the event! I guess that’s the downside with all these groups is a pretty mamto being in Government: you get really moth task. While obviously we want good speakers, but they’re always real- people to vote Labour, the main thing ly busy! Fortunately, David is coming is to make sure the fascist, racist, neoNazi BNP don’t win a seat. Saying that, in Week 8, so it’s not too bad. The trade-off to losing Blunkett (for by the numbers from the last European now), is that in a couple of days former elections, Labour are the best placed to Deputy PM John Prescott is doing a beat the BNP, so from our point of view rally in York for Go 4th: the campaign the message is one and the same! for a fourth Labour term. John is a The final thing on my mind at the genuinely fantastic speaker, and we’ll moment is making sure everything is in order for the new comhave loads of students come along for mittee, which will be elected a really great event. in Week 3. I’m stepping Talking of elections, the busiest down as Chair after doing thing this week – besides desperatethe job for a year, and I’d ly trying to salvage my degree (finlike to take the opportuished an essay 2 hours before the deadline!) – is organising for the nity to thank everyone for upcoming European elections on working so hard. I’m sure June 4th. You’ll be seeing a lot more the next lot will do a great of this over the next few weeks, but job, and if you’re interested in findthe situation in a nutshell is ing out more, this: the BNP are looking we’re having very likely to win one of a mini-social the six Yorkshire seats, beforehand which will give them a so people huge funding and organcan chat to isational boost. So we’ve been doing loads of work the current to make sure students officers. register to vote (go to So come aboutmyvote.co.uk to along to register by May 19th), the Courtyard at because turnout will 5pm on be key in an election Monday most people don’t know 11th May, about. We’re going to t h e n try and do events and campaigning with onto D/ David Blunkett, who will be speaking for York's YUSU, other societies, Terr for Labour Club soon York Labour Party, and 6.30pm, Hope Not Hate (a group and get inindependent of any povolved! litical party, committed to
STUDENT STUNNERS GET THE LOOK:
Glasses: Prada
11) Heckle the lecturer.
Bag: Chloe
12) Listen. It makes all of the daydreamers around you feel stupid.
Jeans: Topshop Top: Primark
13) Initiate a Mexican Wave.
Jacket: Topshop Favourite place to shop: Portobello Road
14) Fart. You may find it funny but the people sitting hehind you won't!
GET THE LOOK:
15) Fall asleep. And if you accidently do- don't dribble.
Jacket: H&M Bag: Burton's Jeans: Next Top: One of York's Vintage shops
Politics lecture?
Holly Hyde
Shoes: 'I have no idea: my grandad got them for me!' Favourite place to shop: Asos or Topman
Phil Fowkes
YORK VISION
LIFESTYLE
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
LIFESTYLE
17
ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? As caring as ever, Paddy Harte reminds us all of the importance of a good night's sleep...
P
ersonally I hate sleep. I enjoy being awake when nothing stirs, there are no distractions, no people to disturb you, there is nothing. But there is also something beautifully mystical about sleep, the way we gently start to drift off, thinking strange thoughts and slowly becoming less attached with reality. Sleep is a lot more complicated that we think, and for something we do for over a third of our lives (that’s 25 years in total), our understanding of sleep is minute. So what is sleep for? Contrary to popular belief, sleep is not about resting the mind. In fact it is quite the opposite; tonight when you finally drift into cloud nine, your mind will be awash with activity. As you start to dream (a procedure that involves rapid electrical pulses pacing through your brain), your mind will be processing and re-creating the days events, rehearsing scenarios for the future; and crucially for those of you about to embark on this terms’ traumatic period of examinations, the process of sleep will be vital for storing newly acquired information. As Paul Martin, the author, professor and self professed “sleep geek” writes, ‘sleeping after a period of intense learning should help to embed new information in memory’. As you can probably tell, this article is going to stress how important sleep is; and it is. One of the most poignant tales, is that of Ricky Vega who, 70 hours into a stay awake contest in the US state of Texas, randomly committed suicide. Vega’s wife at the time spoke out stating that “his life was
going good. Everything”. In my eyes sleep deprivation had everything to do with this. This may be a bit of an extreme tale, but there are countless similar tales of people challenging sleep and suffering the consequences for example there is much speculation that the workers behind the Chernobyl disaster were sleep deprived. Sleep hygiene, as some call it, should be treated with much more importance. That’s all very well, I hear you cry, but what if you cannot sleep? The most important point here is that, despite the desperate urge to sleep that typically concludes a heavy night out in York, the truth is that you are definitely not going to get a good sleep when you drink alcohol. Studies have found that alcohol drastically reduces our sleep efficiency. Yes it makes us fall asleep quicker but the sleep we get is terrible - our brain cannot process our thoughts in the way it normally does when we sleep. Instead we fall into more of a stupor, where we are c o n stantly falling in and out of sleep.
In the frank world of science, if you're not willing to go down “the drug route”, there are no sleep miracles out there, although there are multitude of things that can help you on a journey towards sleep. Charles Dickens used to take night walks, although in the world we live in, a night walk around this area seems less than desirable. Rather dully, the most realistic aid to sleep is to avoid caffeine, relax before bed and don’t worry about things (especially not sleeping). As I conclude this article, the clock has just ticked passed midnight, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit the hypocrisy of this article. In an attempt to finish this on time for my editor, I have stayed awake even though bed sounds very appealing to me right now, in order to champion sleep I have gone against it.
SPECIAL
HOT Kate - great leader in the cereal challenge. Could make it to the final.
Philip - amazing in the first couple of weeks but Pants Man?
HESLINGTON SPECIAL: THE CHARLES vs. THE DERAMORE II off-camX s e l r a TheposCsibhly the mtaobslit sphompuelantr efolyr ussteud-
Emily Hodges takes a trip to every York student's favourite village, Heslington, to size up the pub grub on offer at student favourites The Charles and The Deramore.
The Dera m
C
ore Arm s
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Q
Ben - improved slightly since the 'bum slapping' incident in the exercise challenge.
Lorraine - really let herself down last week. Embarassment in the board room!
Noorul - terrible. Should have been kicked out weeks ago!
NOT
18 LIFESTYLE
YORK VISION
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
STYLE
TREKKING THROUGH TRENDS
The global village is one of the hottest places this Spring/ Summer. Emily Brunwin, Will Booth and Rachel Knox discover the exotic fashion wardrobes that are taking the fashion industry by storm.
I
t could certainly be stated that the west, Great Britain in particular, has something of a fascination with Indian style. The flirtation was established at the height of the Empire, as British rule in India saw many aspects of their culture trickle down into everyday life in the motherland. Indeed, your wellheeled 1920’s socialite, cigarette holder in hand and resplendent in Indian imported silks, would scarcely be seen sans turban. The British Raj came to its timely end, but it’s impact on our mode of dress had perpetrated mainstream culture in such a way as to provide a constant reminder of our ties to the country. Take the 60s, with The Beatles, their trip to India and their consequent fixation with heavy embroidery, Nehru jackets and flamboyant colour, and of course the legions of paisley clad fans. But what of today? To state the ob-
A
s the only economy that is going to emerge from the global financial crisis in a stronger position than previously, China is hot hot hot. As such, it is no surprise that the hottest trends on the catwalk, courtesy of Armani Privé, Michael Kors and newcomer, Mary Katrantzou to name but a precious few, have been fabulously inspired by the orient. Armani Privé bright yellow or purple-fringed kimonos over black skinny pants, the sinuous shift dresses with crystal embroidered pagoda shoulders and the black cocktail dress with a truly enormous bow lined in acid yellow screamed oriental luxury. Wasp waists softened the severe silhouette created by the shoulders leaving S/S 09 oozing with sexuality and empower- ment, bang on trend with the return of power dressing. Mary Katrantzou wowed audiences at London Fashion Week with a fusion of
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bstract tribal prints, chunky wooden jewellery, animal prints, vivid fuchsia’s, exotic purples, vermilion oranges and intensely bright reds; African influences have littered the catwalks and are one of the first 2009 fashion trends. It started with the legendary Yves Saint Laurent’s safari jump suits, and continued with the resurrection of Kate Moss’ favourite leopard print and the brief return of feathers in Autumn/Winter '08, but has transformed this season with Christopher Kane’s strong use of animal print, Gucci’s dusty gold kaftans and the Louis Vuitton tribal heels, worn by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Mischa Barton. Sadly most catwalk chic does not automatically translate into wearable street style without some toning
vious, Spring Summer 07 saw the controversial Prada turban. Love or loath (of course we all swore it was totally ridiculous, until Blair Gossip Girl took it from gimmick to almost legitimate headwear), it certainly makes for a conversational item. And indeed, unless you’ve been living under a rock (or alternatively just don’t care), you probably know that harem pants were ubiquitous on the catwalks for SS 09, and are already lining the rails at a Topshop near you. Trends aside, India’s influence on our wardrobes runs pretty deep. Who doesn’t have a bit of paisley print somewhere or another, or a collection of assorted bangles and bracelets? And with the emergence of India as one of the world’s next superpowers, perhaps this is a style set to be elevated from occasional statement pieces and back-of-the-wa robe staples to an exciting mainstay in contemporary western fashion.
the architectural element to traditional oriental dress and showy colours, all in amazing trompe l’oeil 1960s shift style dresses and gold jewellery of gigantic proportions. The green perfume bottle dress was particularly magnificent, with a combination of colours that literally ‘popped’ as it was sashayed down the runway. The brutal Cultural Revolution resulted in China absorbing colour to excess. In defiance of the deprivation suffered, China has embraced a rainbow of disco colours demonstrated by Marc Jacobs in New York but picked up by Michael Kors A/W 09 where the models got their neon on. Orange fur hats, lime green patent clutches, hot pink stilletos, it was a full on colour-fest. Kors left the rest simple - white and black palette, simple shift dresses and cocoon coats, black saucer sunglasses, all to accentuate the brights. I like, very very much.
down, and not all of us can afford Louis Vuitton heels, but fortunately the tribal trend is pretty simple to do. Safari style beige shorts and bold animal prints have become a 2009 Spring/Summer style essential alongside a pair of gladiator sandals (See Topshop for affordable African-inspired cuff sandals) which are always a summer staple. Large-scale daring abstract printed tunics are also a popular look on both the catwalk and the high street. Most Spring/ Summer 09 accessories have also got an African vibe with lots of wooden jewellery, chunky necklaces and bracelets, fun exotic scarves, large hoop earrings, and plenty of gold bangles. Nicole Richie’s new line in her ‘House of Harlow 1960s collection of jewellery and accessories fuses her trademark boho style with the new tribal trend.
YORK VISION
LIFESTYLE
19
Wednesday May 6th, 2009
STYLE
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE 'NEW LOOK'
STYLE NEWS
Jude Hull on the reasons we should give New Look a second chance...
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ew Look. Only a couple of months ago those words would immediately conjure up a nightmare of miss-fitting clothing and plastic jewellery... But with summer quickly coming upon us it appears as if New Look has given itself a long awaited spring clean of its neon t-shirts and diamante shoes. With Alexa Chung following in the footsteps of Pixie Geldof, Kelly Brook and Drew Barrymore as the fresh face of its spring summer 2009 campaign, New Look has now cemented itself as one of the best shops to go to in York for a quick fashion fix at a student friendly price. My enthusiasm for New Look started a few months ago; browsing online to kill time between essays I discovered an array of hidden treasures. Endeavouring once more to find a pair of heels I could last a night in, I was astounded by an entire floor dedicated to a myriad of wedges, flats, boots and sandals. Whilst it may not be the most distinctive high street shop around, you can’t argue with its top trends on a student budget. Flora print dresses and skirts, acid wash denim, oversized vests and t-shirts, you name the trend, New Look has it. Over the past two years it has been the place to pick up shoes and bags, but now its ranges extends to men’s clothing, limited exclusives and Kelly Brook designed bikinis and swimsuits. Taking inspiration from celebs such as Cheryl Cole and rather ashamedly The Saturdays, its assortment of ‘going out dresses’ and tops are what makes it so appealing. A masculine blazer to throw over
an oversized vest with some gladiator sandals for all less than seventy pounds? Bargain! In Topshop this outfit would cost you over one hundred pounds. Wanting to pick up a straw hat in our recent burst of sun? New Look is the best choice. The shoe range is extensive with styles to suit any trend and shape of foot interestingly (wide-fit shoes are available in most styles). Alexa’s favourites include a striped t-shirt dress, strapped platform heels and an imitation Chanel handbag. With a serious lack of Primark in York it is the easiest place to pick up inexpensive clothes. Admittedly it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I encourage you to have a browse online if the neon lights are too blinding and pick yourself a summer style update. Who knows, it may even be worth opening a store card...
Left: Floral print dress £25
Vision brings you up to date with all the latest from the fashion world.
Everyones gone coggles York-based independent retailer Sarah Coggles website Coggles.com will break through the £2 million sales barrier over the coming months, after not being able to achieve sales of £1.7m during the year to February 2009. “We’re confident that the success of Coggles.com will go from strength to strength” said Mark Bage, owner of the store. Figures show an increase of 105% in year-on-year online sales supports the optimism and has encouraged the business to revise its 2009 sales forecasts from £1.5m to £2.75m. Sarah Coggles is also the proud winner of several awards including Drapers Etail Awards Independent etailer of the Year 2009.
Above: Boyfriend blazer £30 Below: Fashion vest top £8
Left: Faded denim skirt £20
Minister, gone fasHionista Right: Smart flats with bow £22
Huddersfield apprentices are aiming to become the fashion designers of the future by launching their own line in Hudersfield. Government minister Rosie Winterton (Regional Minister for Yorkshire) visited the Textile Centre of Excellence at Deighton, where the H@TCH (Handmade and Textile Centre Huddersfield) brand was being unveiled. Ms Winterton met the apprentices working in areas of fashion design and production. Ms Winterton said: “The H@TCH fashion range is a tribute to the creative talent of the apprentices based at the textile centre. It sends a clear message about the fact that we are at the forefront of this industry in Yorkshire.” During her visit, the minister was shown around by textile centre managing director Bill Macbeth. Macbeth said: Apprenticeships are being seen by employers and employees as a good way to get a skilled job and an interesting career. They also play a crucial role in ensuring our region is well-prepared for economic recovery when it comes.”
DESIGNER COLLABORATIONS
Jude Hull and Eman Akbar discuss High Street and High End fashion, a relation made in heaven, or not...?
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Yes
he simple fact that hundreds were in a frenzy over Matthew Williamsons release of his new collection for H&M in Oxford Circus can only demonstrate that designer/high street collaborations is nothing but a positive thing. Who would pass up the opportunity to buy stylish, well-designed and simultaneously affordable clothing? The trend towards designer diffusion lines has been long in existence, and not only in the fashion industry. Designers such as Stella McCartney, Rouland Mouret, Christopher Kane, Jasper Conran and Karl Lagerfeld have designed for the likes of Gap, H&M, Marks and Spencer and TopShop. Some would argue that designers are ‘selling out’ but lets not forget the fashion industry is a business. No one disputes designers entering into the world of fragrances or even Coke collaborations. If people are willing to buy these clothes, albeit for the label, it satisfies a market who cannot necessarily afford designer clothes, yet want to be well dressed. After all why should high fashion be out of the reach of the masses? Indeed TopShop’s initiative is literally to “bring catwalk fashions to the high street”, and there is few among us that would argue with that.
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No
hen it comes to fashion, only a tiny percentage of the population can actually afford high end designer items at full price. Designers partner with lower-end chains for the same reasons they launch cosmetics. Do you think Burberry or Ralph Lauren have a deep, artistic interest in their various perfumes? Cosmetics and accessories are where the profit for every designer lies. They sell like hotcakes, generating significant revenue, as well as increasing popularity of the brand. I see plenty of people going crazy to view this long waited collaboration with Mathew Williamson and H&M. But the question is, will the capsule collection live up to the hype, or will it fail like the Victor & Rolf line did? The collaboration is merely an ad campaign intended to hook customers while leading them to believe they are making a worthwhile investment. H&M is the mother of high street high end collaboration with a long list of designer collaboration to it's name. But in the process smaller boutiques that have little financial backing and name recognition are losing out. Additionally, bigger name designers like Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, whose lines are owned and backed by the Gucci Group, are being told to make their lines profitable, or else risk being shut down or sold! What could be more profitable then a high street collaboration? This way consumers are losing out on verity, while expensive brands are making questionable clothing from last seasons ready to wear collections, backed up with more brand PR than creativity.
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I love it Deep Unless you have been hiding under a rock the past week, or more than likely in the library, it may have escaped your notice that York has yet another vintage boutique. ‘Deep’ vintage clothing with the slogan ‘I love it Deep’ can be found on Fossgate, past the Blue Bicycle. Its stylish layout makes the amazing selection of dresses, leggings, handbags, belts and leather jackets all the easier to discover!
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