Issue 7 by Wessex Scene

WessexScene.co.uk

University of Southamptonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Student Magazine

JUNE 2016

The Questions The University Is Refusing To Answer 04

the eu: the good, the bad and the ugly 17 A massive three-part special on the EU referendum

Best imagery and news stories of the year 13 & 26

We take a look at the best stories and art from this year at the Wessex Scene

Donald trump through the ages 34

The Pause archivist covers the exploits of Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s noble ancestors...

Welcome

BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES Editor

This is it. This is the end. The last Wessex Scene of 2015/16.

WESSEX SCENE TEAM Want to write for us?

And what a year it’s been! On top of our seven regular issues, we’ve done a special Black History Month issue, in collaboration with ACS and The Edge, a 80th Birthday special, and a freshers’ issue. We’ve done some year-long collaborations with SUSUtv and Surge and we even launched a special website to celebrate LGBTQ+ history month. Our hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed either, the Wessex Scene team have picked up countless awards at Media Ball, EVAs, Rag Awards and many of a national level.

Get in touch with a section editor. Editor BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES editor@soton.ac.uk

Deputy Editor MICHAEL OLIVER

deputy-editor@wessexscene.co.uk

Head of Design SEBASTIAN STEELE design@wessexscene.co.uk

HEAD OF IMAGERY JORDAN STEWART image@wessexscene.co.uk

Features ELLIE WERMTER

features@wessexscene.co.uk

Features ALICE HEARING

features@wessexscene.co.uk

Science & Environment natasha dennington science@wessexscene.co.uk

Politics SAMUEL WILLIAMS

politics@wessexscene.co.uk

Opinion FREYA JEFFRIES

opinion@wessexscene.co.uk

Travel NUALA MCBRIDE

travel@wessexscene.co.uk

Lifestyle Laura Cox

lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk

International CAMERON RIDGWAY

international@wessexscene.co.uk

Sport JACK PETHICK

sports@wessexscene.co.uk

Sport SEAN O’BRIEN

sports@wessexscene.co.uk

News REBECCA LAKE

news@wessexscene.co.uk

News TOM MORGAN

This magazine looks at some of the top news stories of the year, as well as some of our best imagery, from our incredibly talented team of artists and designers in Winchester. Picking just six news stories is a hard task, as Wessex Scene has broken so many great stories this year - from the SUSU (or should I say “Us”) rebrand, to MacFest, to the scrapping of Union Council, to one Southampton student suffering in a bus crash. We also broke the story of the Westridge Road murder, one of the many stories Wessex Scene was first to break that later got picked up by the Daily Echo and dozens of national and international outlets. It’s not all bad news however! From campaigning to save local nightclubs, to Southampton Enactus winning the world cup over coverage this year has been ever-so-varied. Of course, our story of SUSU the Cat getting elected President went viral, and was picked up by the BBC, Telegraph, Metro, Evening Standard, Independent, and more. Our deputy-editor, Michael Oliver, was even invited onto BBC 5live to talk about it. This has also been a special year here at Wessex Scene, we’ve turned 80 and have celebrated by a special magazine, a #TBT series, and of course a big ol’ party. So many alumni have got in touch to tell us how much they love this - a reflection of British history, not just Wessex Scene’s. We’ve also been at the forefront of many Union events this year, breaking the news of Southampton winning Varsity with an amazing seven live-blogs, as well as our most extensive SUSU election coverage yet (sorry, I mean US election…). If you’re graduating, I’m proud of you. You’ve made it. Whatever happens next, I hope you remember the Scene as an integral part of your Southampton experience. If you’re lucky enough to not be entering the real world yet, the Wessex Scene team, lead by new editor Alice Hearing, will be back in September to bring you even bigger and better things.

news@wessexscene.co.uk

Pause TOM RANDALL

And with that, I bid you farewell. I’m so proud of every single contributor to Wessex Scene this year.

MARKETING DAN LINSTEAD

For one final time, editor out!

pause@wessexscene.co.uk publicity@wessexscene.co.uk

VP DCI KERRY SCLATER vpdci@susu.org

WELCOME

OPINION 08 Social Media and Travel: Blessing or Curse? - ZĂŠlie Seddon. Image by Kathryn Smith

ISSUE 7 JUNE 2016 wessexscene.co.uk @wessexscene fb.com/wscene

EDITORIAL

POLITICS

These Are All The Questions The 04 University Are Refusing To Answer

eu: the good, the bad and the ugly

FEATURES

Why there is a global shortage of 06 colouring pencils the dying art of the phone call 08 OPINION

a personal perspective on personal pleasure #not all men: changing roles of feminism special: the wessex sceneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top news stories of the year

08 12 13

top 5 science fiction technologies we all wish existed special: funniest art of the year

does the healthy pasta trend live 20 up to the hype? summer beauty looks 21 top high street summer picks 22 TRAVEL

social media and travel: blessing or curse? special: best imagery of the year

24 26

INTERNATIONAL

as mugabe marches on, zimbabwe is brought to its knees

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

LIFESTYLE

SPORT

sports you may have missed this year

PAUSE

donald trump through the ages

Note from the designer: The illustration for Issue 6 P30 (Sport) was incorrectly attributed to Jordan Stewart rather than the actual artist, Billy Storey. Allow me to apologise for the mistake!

WELCOME

“

Editorial

The University of Southampton is continually breaking the law. When I ran to be Wessex Scene editor, one of my main pledges was to make Wessex Scene more investigative. In a lot of ways we’ve achieved this. We’ve been the first place to break dozens of stories this year, always beating our local rivals, and often our words are picked up by national papers. Unfortunately, there’s been one big problem in our way. The University, the institution we were here to hold to account, have not replied to a single Freedom of Information request sent by Wessex Scene this year.

These Are All The Questions The University Is Refusing To Answer

On multiple occasions, we’ve been told they will get back to us. They have not. This is against the law. Blair’s Labour government published the Your Right to Know white paper in 1997, stating its aims to “make public authorities open and based on mutual trust”. This eventually became the Freedom of Information Act which was passed in 2000. The act aims to provide public access to information held by public authorities, including Universities. Hence, public authorities are obliged to publish certain information about their activities; and members of the public are entitled to request information from public authorities. FOI is a right, anybody can ask a public authority for any information from that body. Unless the request is invalid, or the authority doesn’t hold the information, they must 4

make the information available. The Act allows a public authority to consider the above amount by charging for the following activities at a flat rate of £25.00 per hour of staff time: •Determining whether the information is held; •Locating the information, or a document which may contain theinformation; •Retrieving the information, or a document which may contain the information; and •Extracting the information from a document containing it. The limit is £450.00 which equates to 18 hours of staff time. The FOI act has exposed some of the biggest stories in recent history. The MPs expenses scandal was broken after four years of a series of FOI requests and a high court battle. In the wake of the murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence, the FOI act was used to expose a myriad of cases of declaring the Metropolitan piece as institutionally racist, including the reveal of over 120 police officers at the Met being found guilty of racism within a decade. Another FOI found that every week 8,000 NHS patients were discharged in the middle of the night. That means 239,233 patients were discharge from state-run hospitals between 11pm and 6am. Another FOI investigation led by the Daily Telegraph found that local councils had spent £100m on credit cards in 2011, these funded luxury dinner and hotels, including £2m on accommodation, including five-stars hotels in New York and South East Asia. They also found money was spent on luxury items from Tiffany’s and theme park outings.

BRIDIE PEARSON-JONES

This year alone, Wessex Scene has revealed the number of rapes in EDITORIAL

Editorial

Southampton, the cost of Christmas lighting, and more through FOI requests. As a result of this blatant law breaking from the institution we all pay thousands to, Wessex Scene is now taking the University to the Information Commissioner, which could result in legal action. We’re not the only ones the University has ignored. Earlier this year, Southampton was one of five Universities that failed to respond to the Cruelty Free International request on animal testing. A quick look through whatdotheyknow.com shows that the University hasn’t replied to an FOI request since 2013. In January, the Russell Group - including the University of Southampton asked to become exempt from FOI requests. Universities UK, of which Vice-Chancellor Christopher Snowden was President, also supported the notion. They claimed it costs them over £10 million a year to respond to FOIs, suggesting there are over 20,000 EDITORIAL

requests made to Universities each year. After Wessex Scene broke the story about Universities desire to be exempt, there were a number of responses imploring the University. The Union passed a proposal to publicly condemn their actions of the University and the Russell Group, as well as lobbying the University to speak out against the proposal, and uphold its duty to respond to the requests. Here’s a selection of the questions the University has refused to answer this year:. •How many students have seen University services (for example, counselling) for mental health issues in 2013/2014/2015? •How many students have received “extenuating circumstances” for mental health reasons in 2013, 2014, and 2015? •How many incidents of racism have been reported to the University in the last 12 months? (and what was the follow up to these?) •In the 2014/15 academic year and 2015/16 academic year how many injuries were reported using sports and

wellbeing facilities? •What is the average pay for academic staff at the University of Southampton? •What is the average pay for female academic staff at the University of Southampton? •What is the average pay for male academic staff at the University of Southampton? •What is the average cost of delivering a degree at the University of Southampton? •Of all degrees offered at the University of Southampton, which costs the most to deliver, and how much does it cost? •Of all degrees offered at the University of Southampton, which costs the least to deliver, and how much does it cost? We’ve reached out to a University spokesperson for comment but, unsurprisingly, they’ve refused to answer.

Features

Why There is A Global Shortage of Colouring Pencils. As of March this year, there is now a worldwide shortage of colouring pencils. But, why would anyone other than school children and Geography students need colouring pencils that much?

WORDS BY ALICE HEARING IMAGE BY KATHRYN SMITH

he answer is in the rise of the adult colouring book - it aids mindfulness, helps the stressed out individual to relax, an innocent and satisfying pass time. It provides a much needed break from the always changing digital world. Most have probably been tempted at least.

under. Even then, it would not be surprising to walk in on a 22 year old under a blanket, watching Frozen and eating pop tarts.

The popularity of adult onesies is another phenomenon where ‘grown ups’ feign childhood. There’s nothing more comfortable and comforting than a big baggy wearable blanket that looks like an animal.

It’s almost impossible to give one solid answer. For students specifically, our generation is overwhelmed and scared. The pressure is high; not only to get a job but to present our most attractive selves on social media. We are overwhelmed by choice in an age of digital media. It seems as though everything is run via Facebook or Twitter. Important emails come through on our phones. We can be reached any time and all the time and ultimately never get a break.

Onesies and colouring books, amongst other examples, is the result of something called ‘infantilization’. It is the idea that, in recent years, adults have begun to find satisfaction in products or activities that remind them of their child hood, or make them feel a little less like they have a ton of responsibilities.

But why is it happening?

Much of the evidence for this ‘infantilization’ also exists amongst students. In Southampton in particular, socials at a soft play area are high in demand, as are trampolining parks and adult ball pits. In halls, the odd student might build a fort in the kitchen or play ‘The floor is lava’ across the corridor.

Facebook is no longer a happy past time, it is a stream of shocking news articles, outraged statuses and social heroes in the form of begging for money for a charitable cause or writing paragraphs about why we should all recycle. It’s not a bad thing but, It’s not surprising that the tagging craze had regained strength. The onslaught of reality has to be kept at bay by the occasional ‘tag someone who’s a chicken nugget’ or a video of a pug in a tutu.

The trend even extends to people over 20 buying the Euro 2016 sticker book, genuinely enjoying lollipops (SUSU gave out free lollipops if you voted in the union elections) and marvelling at The Avengers or Suicide Squad. All three of these examples are generally marketed to the ages of 15 and

By resorting to child-like activities, millennials can keep a tab on responsibilities whilst holding close the enjoyment that comes with shameless childlike happiness. If watching cartoons instead of the news relieves stress, than why not do it? We have to stay sane somehow.

FEATURES

Features

When was the last time you phoned someone - yesterday, a week ago, a month ago? WORDS BY NUALA MCBRIDE IMAGE BY SAM PENNY 8

FEATURES

Features I remember as a teenager, squirreling away in my room on the landline phone for hours with friends, chatting about trivial things. It seems like a distant memory now: something from a previous life. Why is it that though? We all have phones that we use relentlessly, alas not to actually phone people!

I put this simple question out to a group of my friends and was met with quizzical faces as they tried to think of the last person they called. This proved my point that phone calls are a dying art form - nobody phones anyone anymore! Texting, messaging, tweeting or commenting on someone’s Instagram or Facebook is second nature to our generation; even though, it’s so impersonal and fake. I agree that it’s definitely much easier to send a quick text or Facebook message or a snappy ‘like’ of a photo that a friend has posted. I know that I am sometimes guilty of liking a friend’s photo /post without taking the time to actually ask them about what they’re doing. I wonder whether it’s because I feel I have ticked that box, as such, because I’ve acknowledged our friendship by liking their photo and so there is no need to phone them. This starts to question whether a phone call is a dying art form; as there are so many other ways to connect with people and keep track of what goes on in people’s lives. We used to phone friends to catch-up with them, check-in or organise something; but that can be done so easily via text now. In essence a phone call is becoming extinct, like a dinosaur, purely because there are multiple other ways to communicate. A text can be sent in a matter of seconds; whereas a phone always requires exchanging pleasantries and then you can get to the point of the phone call. Although, I wouldn’t say I facetime or skype people that often – probably the same amount of times that I phone people. A phone call can be perceived as intrusive, old fashioned and time consuming; but is this because we are so used to the written word instead of the spoken word? Often, when I send a text I’ve thought out what I’m going to write or at least read over it. It’s not the natural me. It’s

FEATURES

the edit version of myself. A phone call, however, is natural and the real roots of a person. It requires you to put aside what you are doing in that moment and focus on that person. It’s so easy to send that quick text with ‘how are you’, instead of taking the time out of your day to call someone. A text initiates a brief response; as seriously who can be bothered to type out their whole life story? It makes you feel like you have connected with that person and put effort into that friendship. With iMessage and Facebook messenger you can talk in real time; so some would perceived it similar to a phone call. I beg to differ. Anyway, if you’re talking to someone in real time, why not just pick up the phone? It’s since coming to university that I have realised the true power of a phone call. I left behind all my friends who I had grown up with, ready to embark on the next chapter of my life. I could have a text conversation with a friend from home; but it only scraped the surface of the intricacies of these new lives that we were being thrust into. When we found the time to pick up the phone, it allowed us to catch up properly, build on our friendship by laughing at stupid things and just the comfort of hearing my friend’s voice. There’s something special about a phone call. Habitually, I put off calling people as I’m worried that they’ll be busy or not able to talk. But, actually if I saw my friend’s caller ID come up on my phone, my face would break into a smile; as it would be a lovely surprise. And who doesn’t love surprises? Once you get in the habit of something – it sticks. I feel that, nowadays, we are all in the habit of texting. So, this month instead of sending that text, pick up the phone and ask how someone really is. It will, definitely, bring a smile to their face. 9

Opinion

A Personal Perspective on Personal Pleasure WORDS BY GEORGE SEABROOK IMAGE BY SEBASTIAN STEELE

Masturbation!

Trust me, I say this not to shock, but to remove the awkwardness from the word. And it’s likely not just myself who finds it awkward – if you search for masturbation slang, you’ll find that Urban Dictionary lists over 20 definitions, all of which are objectively worse than those four syllables.

have a responsibility to say that masturbation is 100% normal, healthy, not in the least bit shameful, and will definitely not summon sex demons. Neither will dildos – although if you told me that dildos had been used in Satanic and pagan rituals for centuries, I’d be all the more likely to buy one. Whether you’re a man or woman or neither, there’s every reason in the world to masturbate. One of the best is that it helps you to get to know your own sexual preferences and to figure out what gives you the most pleasure, without all the stress that comes with trying to find a partner. A cultural re-frame on masturbation has been going on recently, with many Health and Lifestyle magazines writing their own “Five reasons to...” lists, while papers like The Independent (RIP) have articles about the benefits of masturbation. The indomitable Caitlin Moran’s frank writing on the subjects of sex (amongst others) are partly responsible. She and many others are putting to bed the stigma attached to masturbation, especially for women. So why do I, (privilege check: a straight, white, cisgender and able-bodied man) still feel peculiar talking about it? There’s a stereotype about guys (particularly teenage boys) 10

that they always speak about masturbation and porn, in lurid and explicit details. For many this is undoubtedly true, but not for everyone. Sure, I wanked from an almost criminally young age – as soon as erections start appearing with the slightest regularity, you get curious as to why. But the sex education provided by my school never addressed the subject of wanking, for girls or boys. And who can blame the teachers for that? They’d all feel as weird about it as the students did, only far less likely to start giggling at impromptu instances. But when masturbation is only being openly talked about by the ‘lads’ in the corner (who don’t seem to have particularly enlightened views about sex or women) that leaves the rest of the kids who don’t fit in with them with a discussion deficit. I’m not a fan of debating how far semen can go when watching that one porno with the ‘chick with huge tits’, who looks kind of like one of your classmates. I’ll keep those thoughts inside my head, like a slightly sexually repressed British gentleman, à la Harry Hart. If young people cannot have these conversations with their peers however, they must rely on teachers, parents, or the internet to provide information about masturbation. And although it was only a few years ago that I personally was a teenager, the cultural re-frame I mentioned wasn’t even close OPINION

Opinion

“The reality doesn’t have to be so one-sided: obviously women watch porn, and men do use fantasy.” to happening. If I was going to end up reading anything about masturbation, it would probably have been erotic fiction on porn sites. Porn is not inherently bad. Obviously it’s all fantasy, and that’s cool, but if you’re 11 years old and being introduced to the world of sex through these fantasies, things can get complicated and confusing. Because it’s not so much that porn is bad, but that our relationship with it can be (and I’m specifically talking about men, as they are the demographic for whom the vast majority of Porn is produced). If for instance, you start to believe that everything you see is real and authentic, or if watching porn is the only way you know how to masturbate, the former will impact your expectations of yourself and your partner during sex, whilst the latter can hinder your ability to achieve an erection without the aid of porn. That last one is in particular interesting to me. Mainly because it’s so expected of men to be furious masturbators, through routine porn consumption. While women, are seen as subsisting on exhaustive, detailed fantasies, which allow them to ride a unicorn along a beach of rainbows, wielding a OPINION

dildo spear as they charge into a battle against the patriarchy, fully loaded with hormones, men just crack open a laptop, and ‘arrive’ - a total anti-climax. The reality doesn’t have to be so one-sided: obviously women watch porn, and men do use fantasy. Where does this leave us? Things could go in a positive direction, even as David Cameron’s government insists upon not having sex education in schools, so that parents can address the subjects themselves. Tablets and smartphones are so prevalent for tweens and teens, and there’s far more progressive writing about masturbation and porn to be found from reputable sources online, that those children who are nervous about airing the subject with their parents can find information online. That’s hardly a perfect solution however. As for me, and the people my age, I’ve still got no intention of starting a face-to-face conversation about masturbation, yet that doesn’t make me incapable of having one. For anyone else uncertain about talking about the topic, I recommend starting with “wanking, am I right?”, to break all that tension. Although maybe you should know the person you speak to first. 11

Opinion

#NotAllMen

Changing Roles of Feminism And Why We Need It For Everyone WORDS BY CARLY-MAY KAVANAGH

Some male Tinder users feel that they are ‘entitled’ to do whatever they want with ‘unattractive’ women on dates, as compensation for the ‘breach of trust’ that has occurred, according to research by Manchester Metropolitan University.

hey believe that if the women doesn’t look as ‘attractive’ as her photos, then they are allowed to use the woman however they want. The study focused primarily on heterosexual male-female relationships and questioned male Tinder users in Manchester and Cheshire.

This also encourages rape culture, or at least does nothing to help combat it. It’s countering the fact that women are their own people who deserve respect, suggesting that they’re just liars who owe men sex to teach them the lesson to not lie on their profiles or deceive people with their dastardly contouring. How dare women enhance their natural beauty?

Of course, Tinder is primarily based on looks. Photos can be tapped on to reveal a short bio and interests, but the majority of people just swipe based on that initial photo. The majority of people use it as a hook-up app, in order to get laid that night. So it could be said for Tinder that, yes, looks do matter. Personalities can’t really be gauged through it. Perhaps after a conversation, but conversations can only happen if both people swipe for each other. So initial meeting is entirely dependent on looks-based attraction.

The idea of what it means to be a woman has changed. As feminism became a movement and adapted, the role of women in society began to change. Women can now have a family and work, and later not have a family or get married and it is seen as okay because there are lots of things women can do while still being considered a woman. In short, women’s gender roles have adapted. Men haven’t really had a similar thing happen, so now women have these support networks and help available; but men don’t have the same help as women. Men still have strict gender roles, like ‘men should be strong’, ‘boys don’t cry’. Women have had a massive change and get so much support, but what about the men?

To stereotype further for the sake of argument, a lot of women on Tinder (understandably) want to look nice. They might upload photos of club nights, with a full face of makeup and a tiny dress, which they’ll probably be unlikely to wear to a 1pm coffee date. Not only will the make-up look different in comparison but, sorry guys, filters don’t exist in real life. I know it seems hard to look at a girl without the black and white filter or the puppy ears and nose Snapchat feature, but not every photo of someone will look exactly like them. To say men are entitled to do ‘whatever they want’ to a woman because she doesn’t look how they expected shows that those men are only interested in these photos, and not on the person on the inside. Also that tricky eyeliner and highlight confuses these men - women aren’t lying to the men, they just like a bit of blush. 12

Of course, there are men who think that they can do what they want to ‘ugly’ dates. But women also tend to be pandered to and wrapped in cotton wool - there’s a taxi app just for women with only female drivers, enforcing the idea that men are bad people who will hurt poor defenceless women. Some will. Some won’t. All people need to learn to stay safe and how to get support and learn self-defence – just in case they do need to get out of a bad situation.

OPINION

The Wessex Scene’s

Top News Stories of the Year As the academic year draws to a close, it’s time to cast our eyes back on some of the most exciting, outrageous and downright strange news stories that the Wessex Scene have reported on over the past 12 months.

SUSU the Cat is now Our President Carly-May Kavanagh

Only one story could be our top story this year, and it has to be this one. When we broke the news, little did we know how much traction it would gain nationally, with the story being picked up by, amongst others, the BBC, the Telegraph and the Metro. In addition, we’ve had a writer go on BBC Radio 5 live to try and explain to listeners how this story was the 24th most read news piece on the BBC website that week. And all this happened because of a cat.

Petition Launched to Reverse SUSU Rebrand Rebecca Lake

It would be an understatement if you said that the rebrand of the Students’ Union provoked a response. Seemingly everyone had an opinion on this, and one person even went as far as starting a petition to have the SUSU name re-instated, with it gathering over 1,800 signatures. The publishing of this news piece certainly let students know that the rebrand was controversial!

#Macfest Tribute for Local Involved in Fatal Car Accident Gets Support From Major Artists Shannon Clark

When a local man, Mac Campbell, was tragically killed in a car crash earlier this year, the response was astronomical. A social media campaign to organise a festival to be held in his memory, #macfest, gained considerable traction and even attracted the likes of Craig David and Stormzy, as well as support from Southampton Football Club. The story itself had a huge reach, and was one of our most read articles this year.

Police Cordon Off Wasps Nest In Portswood Michael Oliver

Perhaps it is a reflection on the level of activity that Portswood generally experiences that an impromptu wasps nest found under a table at Scoops Ice Cream Parlour was one of the area's most talked-about events. Nonetheless, the reaction on Twitter to the unwelcome guests [favourites include 'Portswood is literally buzzing today’] was an unexpected bonus.

Multiple Stabbings Outside Junk and Carlton Place Bridie Pearson-Jones

Although the event itself was unfortunate and a poor representation of Southampton’s growing night-life scene, it was the backlash of the story which really caught the public eye. Junk, named small nightclub of the year in 2013, was threatened with closure to general uproar and the Wessex Scene followed the story from the outset.

Winchester Bishop Bans A Priest For Being Married to a Man Nuala McBride

A politically loaded story, close to home. The news broke in December of last year, to general public disapproval, of the Bishop of Winchester banning priest Jeremy Davies from taking services within the Winchester Diocese because he was married to a man. The story garnered a lot of attention, on both a regional and national front. Special

Science & Environment

Top 5

Science-Fiction Technologies

We All Wish Existed

Science fiction is often seen as a world of wonder and fascination and a form of escapism for some. Often itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the gadgets and gizmos that you see in films, or read about in books that are the most exciting part. As society and technology advance, the line between science and fiction grows thinner each year. Here we look at 5 classic sci-fi tech ideas and the efforts to make them a reality.

WORDS BY NATASHA DENNINGTON IMAGE BY SEBASTIAN STEELE

Invisibility Cloaks

Imagine how cool it would be to be able to wander around wearing a cloak just like the one Harry Potter would use to sneak around Hogwarts. The technology behind cloaking devices are already being developed for light, sound and heat. To do this, scientists need to develop an artificial meta-material that would refract light in such a way that the object is rendered invisible. Before these materials 14

can become part of our everyday reality, there are many more obstacles to be overcome. These include cost and scalability but scientists are always making progress in these areas. Applications of the final cloaks would include being able to camouflage soldiers so they are able to blend into their surroundings or to possibly block their thermal signature so they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be found by enemies.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

Science & Environment

Cryogenics

One of the oldest ideas in the sci-fi universe is the concept of putting a human body into deep freeze to be thawed later. In earlier stories, suspended animation was used as a form of time travel, so adventurers could wake up in future worlds. Many films and TV shows have parodied the idea, but the technology is all too real. There are several commercial cryonic suspension facilities in the United States, where cryonics typically refers to the field of cryogenic preservation of human beings. It’s easy enough to freeze someone but there has been much more difficulty in the reverse- awakening from the suspended state. Despite the use of sophisticated protectants, every preserved brain has undergone severe fracturing during the freezing process. It’s also very likely that the cells will turn to mush during thawing. As a result, cryogenics still has a long way to go.

Neuralizers

An important gadget for the Men in Black, this gadget lets you erase memories of those who stare at the flashing red light. With the click of a button and a few soothing words, you can wipe out a memory and replace it with something else. For the characters in “Men in Black,” this device allowed human agents to meet, negotiate or combat aliens without alerting the entire Earth that we are not alone. Need a little more time on that deadline? Just zap your lecturer and say that the assignment is due next week. Accidentally spill coffee on your date? A quick zap and the suggestion that a passer by did it and you’re good to go. Zapping people to alter memories might not be the most responsible option. Scientists have already been making great steps to create a neuralizer. Scientists from the University of Rochester have used fibre-optic cables to send beams of light into the brains of genetically engineered mice and they found they could erase memories of their choosing. This may be a great leap in the field, but most people aren’t going to be all that comfortable having beams of light fired into their brains to erase moments of their lives.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

Lightsabers

Yes , the “Star Wars” series is really more of a fantasy than science fiction, but we cannot forget the coolest weapon everyone should want- the lightsaber. It’s an elegant weapon from a more civilised age. The final part of a Jedi knight’s training is the construction of his or her own personal lightsaber. A sword that can cut through anything and could also deflect from blaster fire, plus the added sound effects, would be a must-have for everyone. A lightsaber consists of a handle, a power source and some crystals. The crystals give the lightsaber its colour as well as other attributes. Those who use the light side of the force tend to rely on crystals they find in natural settings like caves and caverns. Dark side force users tend to use synthetic crystals, which always seem to give a lightsaber an ominous red glow. Alas, all this sounds great but the lightsaber itself is near impossible to make as technology is nowhere near ready for it yet.

Time Machines

Having a neuralizer would be great to make people forget minor slip-ups, but what can you do if you make a much larger mistake? The answer would be to jump in your timemachine and rip apart the fabric of time and space by creating a paradox that prevents yourself from the embarrassing situation. Everyone knows that time-travel only ever ends well, right? There’s a plethora of types of time machine in the fictional universe; the living creature inside the TARDIS in “Doctor Who”; the chair with dozens of confusing dials and levers like in H.G. Wells’s famous novel; or maybe the flux capacitor that requires hitting 88 miles per hour in a DeLorean from “Back to the Future” franchise. Thanks to Albert Einstein, time travel has been proven to be possible. His theories suggested that “wormholes” could connect two regions of space and time. On the downside, a time machine would need to extract the energy of an entire star or black hole. Then there’s the challenge of stabilising the wormhole and ensuring that the entry point remains open for the return journey. Even if physics is on our side, metaphysics is not. The “grandfather paradox” suggests that any technology that lets you kill your own ancestor can’t possibly exist, because it would break the cosmos. There is, however, an even tougher paradox to consider: If time travel is possible, then where are all the time travellers from the future? Could they already be living among us and we just don’t know it yet? 15

Funniest Art of The Year ISSUE 4 SOPHIE EDGERLEY Antioxident Supplements - Worth the hype?

ISSUE 4 JORDAN STEWART Veganism is Environmentalism

We knew this illustration would be good when the request was “Get me a Che Guevara style revolutionary cow.”

ISSUE 5 SEBASTIAN STEELE

How to Become a BNOC

BHM ISSUE GEORGE THOM Making Up For Damage Done - The Case for Reparations Sadly there wasn’t enough space on the spread for this humorous illustration.

ISSUE 6 SEBASTIAN STEELE Cover

Ideas for a cover design took an Orwellian turn...

SPECIAL

ARGUMENTS FOR REFORM

There is no doubt that being a part of the European Union has helped Britain to move forward as a country in more ways than one.

EU-wide agreements such as the common market and intelligence information sharing undoubtedly benefit Britain on a number of fronts, including its economic strength, as well as its security and world influence. Concerns have been raised however, about the level to which the EU has taken control of a number of issues from country’s own governments, leading to increasing concern about federalisation, and a growing worry that the bloc is rapidly transforming into something far from that which the UK population voted to remain a part of in 1975. Perhaps, somewhat crucially, the balance of the contributions that states make and what they get from it has shifted since the days of the EU being simply an economic community. More and more states have joined the EU and membership has swelled to the current 28 states, with a growing likelihood that Turkey will become number 29. Agreements such as the Common Agricultural Policy have been accused of opening up a gap between richer and poorer countries, merely increasing the profit margins for large multinational corporations headquartered in Europe’s richer countries while leading to waste and overproduction of food that leads to a large amount being thrown away unnecessarily and serving little benefit to many of those in the bloc’s developing nations. The cost of the EU, while undoubtedly beneficial, is also an issue to many. In 2015 Britain contributed £13 million to the Brussels, while in return the EU only spent £4.5 million of its own funds within the UK. Although Britain is entitled to a £5 billion rebate on its financial contributions and has therefore paid a lot less than the £18 billion for which it would otherwise be liable, such a discrepancy between the money given to the EU and the POLITICS

CAMERON RIDGWAY

return investment does raise questions about whether Britain is fully reaping the rewards of all the investment it has made, as well as whether the money could be better spent within UK borders. It is, however, important to consider that although not directly linked, it is very difficult to calculate the scale of economic benefits that the EU has brought to the UK and the knock-on impact that losing this investment would have, which could potentially lead to a much larger loss of economic investment than initially thought, if Britain votes to leave. Such arguments surrounding the financial relationship between the UK and the bloc are made much more difficult by the Union’s seeming lack of financial accountability - controversies surrounding the accuracy of its accounts and the large amount of time taken for the auditors to declare them accurate is hardly the level of financial conduct one would expect from a democratic institution. This lack of transparency extends further, into the European Parliament itself - criticisms have been raised surrounding the system of expenses in place for MEPs, with requests for public access to documents on the general allowance given to MEPs and the way it is spent being repeatedly denied by the European Parliament. International watchdog Transparency International described the law-making chamber as ‘putting obstacles’ in the way of journalists and members of the public who wanted to investigate how it spent taxpayer’s money. Regardless of the EU’s foibles, its benefits to the UK, both in economic and statistical terms and as a part of the wider European community, are essential to maintain the country’s economic standing and quality of life. However, with increasing questions surrounding the accountability and transparency of its institutions, improvements in public perception will have to be made to convince many within the UK to vote to stay in the upcoming referendum. 17

IMAGES BY BETHANY WESTALL

ARGUMENTS FOR BREXIT

This referendum is about you. It is about the Britain you want to live in. It is about the future you want to have. On June 23rd, when you go into that booth and tick a box, make the decision that is best for you. Now, I’m not going to sit here behind an article and tell you which box to tick; only you can decide which box represents the best Britain for you; I’m simply going to offer you something to ponder, something to remember when you cast your vote. Britain, the fifth largest economy in the world, gets a bad deal from this customs union economically. We give up our ability to negotiate free trade deals with China, India, America and the growing markets of the world, for membership of the world’s only declining market. A market with which our trade is falling year on year (even with the Rotterdam Effect and its exaggeration of UK-EU trade levels). There are those who say that we wouldn’t get a deal from the EU, they are wrong. Germany, France, and the other member states would not give up trade with Britain out of spite. Democratically, we get a rotten deal from a political union we never voted to join. Democracy is about power being wielded as close to the people it affects as possible, it is about being able to see your representatives to hold them to account, it is about being able to vote them out. A supranational body, where Eurocrats in Brussels (and Strasbourg) are the only people with the power to propose legislation, is not just undemocratic, it is anti-democratic. If the European Union were to apply to join the European Union, it would not meet its own democratic checks! We are, in Britain, one of the most powerful sovereign 18

MATTHEW COWLEY nations on the planet (as members of the UN Security Council), yet we are not sovereign over our own legislation, meaning the governments we elect cannot do the things we mandated them to. The Conservatives cannot meet their immigration targets, meaning this country has to be harsher when accepting non-EU migrants. I do not wish to make this a debate about immigration, but I simply put forth this: we have thousands of non-EU students at this university, all of you will know someone born outside of the EU. These students are brilliantly talented and yet there is a significant chance that they, or perhaps their parents, will not be able to settle in this country. Why? Because we have to meet an immigration quota. We cannot welcome a doctor from Delhi, because we have a plumber from Paris; cannot take a lawyer from Lahore, because we have a road sweeper from Rome. This is unfair and unjust. Leaving the EU would enable a skills-based approach to immigration, so that all of your friends can live in this country, regardless of where they were born in life’s first great lottery. I would like, at this juncture, to correct something written in my opening remarks. This referendum is about us. It is about you, your friends, your family, your community, your nation. It is about our Britain. With that in mind, I would like to ask you one simple question. If the status quo were different, if Britain were outside the European Union, holding a referendum on whether or not to join, how would you vote? Would you give up your democracy, your sovereignty, your freedom to trade? I wouldn’t, and that is why I will be ticking the Leave box. POLITICS

ARGUMENTS FOR BREMAIN

A hefty chunk of voters will perceive this June’s referendum question as one concerning how compatible they believe their British identity to be with an increasingly integrated continental union. One of Vote Leave’s first campaign videos made the patriotic case for Brexit by listing a handful of history’s most epic of Brits: Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale and Emily Pankhurst, and Winston Churchill and Aneurin Bevan. That’s all very well, but what’s not pretty neat about being part of an even larger community that includes all of Britain’s greats, as well as the likes of Einstein and Galileo, Beethoven and Mozart, and Socrates and Descartes? Most voters will only vote to ‘remain’ if they believe EU membership to be having an overall positive impact on the day-to-day lives of this country’s own citizens. Economically, there is no doubt that Britain is better off within the EU’s Single Market. The European Single Market absorbs 45% of our exports, supporting 4.2 million British jobs. Many of the imported European goods and services that we enjoy cannot be produced domestically at the same quality and price-level, if at all. The Confederation of British Industry found that eight times as many of its firms want to stay in the EU as to quit, with six times as many adding that Brexit would result in them cutting investment and laying off employees. So it is no surprise that even the Bank of England’s Mark Carney and the IMF’s Christine Lagarde have both ditched political neutrality to stress the risk that Brexit poses to this country’s financial stability. Brexiters protest that outside of the EU, Britain would be more free and able to establish new trade agreements with America, fast-growing economies such as China and India, and much of the Commonwealth. This argument ignores the geographic reality that trade with the world’s far corners cannot replace Britain’s ties to its next-door neighbours. Furthermore, Britain is more likely to achieve trade deals with larger economies through its EU membership. Britain may be the world’s fifth largest economy, but how can it expect to go it alone and match the allure and bargaining power of a trading block that forms the world’s largest economy?

The most precious right granted to EU citizens is the right to move freely around the continent. Whether it’s to work, study, or retire, approximately 2 million Brits are currently POLITICS

JULIEN POULAIN exercising this right by living in other EU countries, and those who have come to live in Britain from other EU countries have made positive cultural and economic contributions to this country, with most arrivals being young, skilled and entrepreneurial. The EU also prevents races-to-the-bottom among European governments when it comes to the provision of workers’ rights. Rights currently guaranteed by the EU include maternity leave, holiday pay and freedom from discrimination at work. Outside of the EU, Britain may reclaim its former reputation as ‘the dirty man of Europe’. Upon entry into the EU in 1973, Britain had the highest sulphur dioxide emissions in the union and its seas functioned as open sewers thanks to a ‘dilute and disperse’ approach to pollution control. Since 1973, EU laws have forced Britain to change its approach to sewage treatment and the emission of nitrates and sulphur dioxide. The consequent better quality beaches and cleaner bathing waters have benefited us all. It is also clear that the challenge of climate change can only be tackled through cooperation between states. The evident positive impact that the EU has had on Britain may not sway those who are troubled by what they have perceived as a loss of national sovereignty. However, Britain hasn’t simply given away its sovereignty, rather it has pooled a portion of it along with fellow EU countries pooling a portion of theirs. In an increasingly globalised and interdependent world, pooling sovereignty allows Britain and the rest of Europe to share economic prosperity and combat borderless challenges more effectively. Although a democratic deficit within the EU does exist, no European Commissioner can be appointed and virtually no law can come into force without a vote of approval from the directly elected members of the European Parliament. In a continent where war between powers has become unthinkable for the first time in millennia, and in a world where globalisation continues to make its advance, Britain must firmly remain within the EU if it is to truly flourish. In light of all that the EU has achieved for Britain’s economy, workers, culture and environment, continued EU membership should be seen as the far more exciting choice. 19

‘Courgetti’, ‘Cunoodles’ and Sweet-Potato Tagliatelle:

Does the Healthy Pasta Trend Live up to the Hype? WORDS BY ABBIE ROBINSON We’re a generation mesmerised by gadgets and gizmos – so naturally, the introduction of the mighty spiralizer, a contraption which promises to create nutritious, low-calorie, low-carb ‘pasta’ and ‘rice’ from almost any vegetable had us on tenterhooks. But is it just another fad, led by the hoard of healthy ‘foodies’ dominating our Instagram feeds? Eat pasta, as much of it as you like – with no need to feel guilty (or carb-comatose). Whether or not you agree with the growing number of gluten-free, raw and health-conscious eaters, you’ve got to admit that vegetable pasta is something of a revelation. Gone are the days of begrudgingly boiling your basics frozen peas and carrots to ensure that you’re getting at least 2 of your 5-a-day. I’d rather eat mine disguised as a carbonara, thanks. The most popular of the pasta imposters is undoubtedly ‘courgetti’ – nowadays, an integral part of the fruit and veg section in almost every supermarket. Gone are the days of having to spend £5 for some fancy veg at Waitrose. Mind you, a packet of courgetti will set you back around £2 - a hefty price in comparison to a mere 30p for a single courgette. Understandably, forking out for a spiralizer – which, at £20, is quite pricey for a student budget – might not seem like a necessary investment. This is where the ‘Julienne’ peeler comes in – a handy little contraption which looks identical to a potato peeler (and costs the same, too), but instead creates skinny ribbons. Voila. You, my friend, can have your pasta and eat it. If replacing your beloved pasta with vegetables wasn’t enough, the cauliflower has made a spectacular comeback in 20

IMAGE BY SAMMIE BURSTOW the form of – wait for it – pizza. The cauliflower is an ideal gluten-free substitute for flour, and the trendy cauli-pizza has caused quite the stir. Simply whizz up cauliflower and ground almonds in a blender, and use as you would flour. The idea of using vegetables as carb substitutes might not appeal to everyone’s taste, nor is it anything new – but it really can be a great way of switching up the over-done pesto pasta that we all know and love so dearly. If you feel like spicing up a classic, lifestyle writer The Londoner has created a recipe named ‘Slutty Low-Carb Pasta’ which promises an equally satisfying and healthy version of the traditional Bolognese.

Slutty Low-Carb Pasta (serves 2)

Ingredients •3 Courgettes •Anchovies •2 Cloves of garlic •Handful of capers •Handful of black olives

•Chilli flakes •Tinned tomatoes •Olive oil •Parmesan

Method

1. Heat a pan, and turn it down to medium heat. Add a generous glug of olive oil, and crush two cloves of garlic into it. Add a handful of anchovies. 2. Add a sprinkle of chilli flakes, chopped olives and capers. Fry for a minute or so. 3. Add the tinned tomatoes. Simmer for a few minutes. Put aside to cool. 4. Spiralize (or peel) your courgettes. 5. Add the sauce to the courgette, and toss. Serve with fresh parmesan. LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle 30 Moisture Cream helps to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. It can easily be incorporated into your daily routine throughout the year, and, best of all, it’s under £5. One bottle will last you a long time, and it’s often on offer at Boots and Superdrug. If you need a higher SPF for your face, Garnier’s Ambre Solaire Facial SPF 50 is a good choice at £8. If you wear foundation every day, you might want also to swap for a BB cream, which will give your face a lighter coverage. Garnier has a wide range of BB creams to suit different skin types and tones.

2 | Eyeliner

If you’re heading out to a festival or a party this summer, the last thing you’ll want to be worrying about is smudged eyeliner. Loreal’s Superliner eyeliner pen has a felt tip nib which is really easy to apply and stays in place for hours. It’s currently £6.99 at Boots.

3 | Waterproof Mascara

Summer Beauty Looks WORDS BY LAURA COX IMAGE BY SOPHIE EDGERLEY As the weather gets warmer, our attention turns from exams and deadlines to lazy days, festivals and holidays. This change is a time for you to rest and have fun. It’s also a great time to update your beauty look and adjust your products to match the needs of your skin on sunnier days.

1 | Skincare

As you might be aware, Sun Protection is essential for your face all year round. Sun damage is a major factor in premature ageing, so it’s especially important to protect your skin in the hotter months. Normal sun cream can be quite heavy and oily, and might not work well with sensitive or blemish-prone skin on your face. It’s best to purchase a separate product for your face and body. Simple’s Kind to Skin Protecting SPF LIFESTYLE

Waterproof mascara has come a long way from the days when I first tried it! I associated it with thick, clumped lashes, and it often felt drying on my eyelashes. Cosmetic technology has thankfully improved, and smudgeproof, party-proof mascaras are available for less than £10. We recommend Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie Waterproof Mascara, which promises up to 300% more volume.

4 | Bright Lip

Summer is the perfect time to try out a bold new lip colour, but you don’t have to stray far from your normal shades to achieve a new look. Bright coral tones suit pretty much all skin tones - there’s a coral out there to suit you! We lov the Loreal Paris Studio Secrets Lipstick which comes in a beautiful shimmery coral shade.

5 | Gold Smokey Eye

Urban Decay’s iconic Naked eye shadow pallettes are worldwide bestsellers and it’s easy to see why. However, on a student budget they’re pretty pricey! Instead, opt for Collections’s ‘Eyes Uncovered’ palette which contains similar gold and nude shades. At £3.99, for six different shadows it’s great value. Use the palest shade towards the corner of your eye, and gently blend darker shades outwards. There are many tutorials on YouTube which can help you to perfect your smokey eye if you’ve not tried it before. 21

Lifestyle

Top High Street Summer Picks The summer season is well underway on the UK high street and it’s a great time to rework your wardrobe by picking up some key pieces. Lifestyle Editor Laura Cox shares her pick of the best buys from high street stores which will see you through the summer months. The Bomber Jacket

Light, and versatile, a silky printed bomber jacket is a great piece for your summer wardrobe. It works well as a coverup on cooler evenings and nights out and also looks cool and casual when dressed down. Pair yours with some ripped jeans and a plain white tee for an easy go-to outfit. Zara have a great selection of prints and colours, and most styles are around £29.99.

The Mom Jeans

They’ve been around for a little while now, but Mom jeans are an essential for summer. The loose style ensures that they are much more comfortable than skinnies in warmer weather. The high waist is also flattering for all figures. We love these Topshop Mom jeans. You can also contribute to charity if you buy a pair, as 30% of the profit from each sale goes to supporting Breast Cancer Now.

The Cami Top

We can’t make any promises but we’re hoping that the sun will be shining a lot this summer! For warmer days, a simple strappy cami is an easy and comfortable garment and can be a key piece in a range of outfits. Dress it up for a night out with a printed mini, or dress it down with Mom jeans and sandals. This top from Superdry is a great price, at £17.99.

The Ultimate Travel Bag

If you’re lucky enough to be heading away this summer, you’ll need a travel bag big enough to keep all your important documents, drinks and ways of keeping yourself entertained, in one place. Practical doesn’t have to mean boring, and this Cath Kidston Richmond Rose travel bag is a great way of brightening up your travel outfit. The zipped compartment at the bottom is great for storing your shoes or toiletries. Cath Kidston also offer a 10% student discount.

Soft Sandals

At the risk of sounding like your grandma, comfortable sandals are a must, whether you’re wandering the streets of Barcelona or heading down the road to Tesco. It’s definitely worth investing in a good quality pair which fit you well. Look after them carefully and they’ll also last you for summer seasons to come. We love this tan pair from Saltwater, available at Office. They come in a wide range of colours, and Office also offers a 10% student discount.

The Party Dress

No summer wardrobe is complete without a go-to party outfit. Whether you’ve got a summer ball to attend or a family wedding, this pretty pink jacquard dress from Oasis is a great option. The nipped in waist and full skirt are flattering for all figures. Team with some heeled sandals and you’re good to go!

WORDS BY LAURA COX

LIFESTYLE

Travel

Social Media and Travel Blessing or Curse? WORDS BY ZÉLIE SEDDON

IMAGE BY KATHRYN SMITH

In the last few years, social media has infiltrated almost every aspect of daily life. Almost all of us are now unconsciously writers, bloggers, photographers and promoters, and nothing inspires an Instagram post or Facebook status more than travelling to a new place.

ravel has always been a means to escape the pressures of day-to-day life; however, the rise of social media has made it impossible to disconnect from the world whether globetrotting or just exploring a new place close to home. With data roaming charges falling and phone companies offering competitive package deals for texting and making phone calls overseas, it has never been cheaper to access the internet when abroad. Although, this is a positive thing for many obvious reasons - easy access to the internet also means it is increasingly tempting to constantly refresh your Instagram, Twitter and Facebook feeds. Even when thousands of miles from home, ‘thanks’ to social media we are now able to check up on family, friends, current affairs and work, and in return we update the world with how much fun we’re having whilst away. Instagram posts (with captions such as ‘hot dogs or legs’ and ‘#travellinggoals’) and Facebook albums of approximately 1,231 holiday photos, mostly of views from the plane, have replaced the good old fashioned postcard and sadly it doesn’t seem impossible that this tradition, which dates back to the 19th century, might one day be extinct. Being able to stay connected with the world whilst abroad is advertised almost as a blessing; but is social media actually ruining our travelling experiences? Is being able to stay connected when travelling really a good thing? 24

Arguably, the biggest criticism of social media is that it distracts us from the present and prevents us from living in the moment. When travelling this means that when seeking to immerse ourselves in new cultures and try new things, social media tempts us out of the present by encouraging us to instantly share these experiences, before the memories have really been created. We photograph food before we taste it, we photograph a landmark before we really appreciate it. On a recent trip to Tuscany, whilst visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa I was amazed that the beautiful site was littered with people labouring to take the perfect photograph rather than appreciating the architecture and design of the buildings. I was even more shocked that I was one of those people. Surely, if we’re just going to experience places from behind a camera we should stay at home and sift through a brochure or watch a film? The draw of social media is that it is instant and, thus, when travelling we can share what we’re up to whilst its happening. However, by posting photographs and other updates as the memories are made, arguably we also diminish the enjoyment to be gained from sharing stories and experiences with family and friends at length when we’re home. However, when it comes to travel social media is not all bad news. Social media sites are excellent sources of travel inspiration. There are endless numbers of instagram accounts and blogs set to serve this purpose and following these pages TRAVEL

Travel

might introduce you to a travel opportunity or destination that previously hadn’t crossed your mind. It was scrolling through one of my favourite blog’s post on Tuscany that convinced me to book a spontaneous trip to Florence; which turned out to be my best city break to date. Furthermore, the benefits of social media when it comes to keeping up with friends on gap years and sustaining long distance relationships whilst travelling are undeniable. Moreover, in January the family of an injured backpacker travelling in Thailand were able to use social media to mobilise people to donate blood for their daughter’s much needed blood transfusion. In many ways the rise of social media has changed travel for the better; however, I can’t help feeling a tinge of sadness for the things I love about travelling that are being lost as a result. In this case social media can be both a blessing and a curse, it’s all about using it in moderation. But, next time you’re in a TRAVEL

far flung exotic location or just a new place round the corner from your house, perhaps take that one photo to capture the moment, then turn your phone off, take a look around you and enjoy.

“Surely, if we’re just going to experience places from behind a camera we should stay at home and sift through a brochure or watch a film?”

ISSUE 0 KATHRYN SMITH Sunshine, Sand & Sea

ISSUE 2 JESS COX Cover

Best Imagery ISSUE 1 SOPHIE EDGERLEY Veisalgia: The Science of a Hangover

ISSUE 1 OLLIE SILVESTER Highfield Campus Nature Spotting

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ISSUE 4 OLLIE RAY Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Not All Bad News ISSUE 5 OWEN WEBB What Can Candidates Do To Get Young People To Vote?

of The Year ISSUE 5 SAMMIE BURSTOW Cover

ISSUE 5 TARA SHORE Climate Change: Will We Ever Successfully Adapt or Mitigate?

SPECIAL

International

As Mugabe Marches On,

“

Zimbabwe Is Brought To Its Knees

The news that trickles in about Zimbabwe hardly makes for encouraging reading. Members of president Robert Mugabe’s inner circle were indicted in the Panama Papers recently, and back in February, Mugabe celebrated his 92nd birthday with an $800,000 party a few weeks after declaring a ‘state of disaster’ because of drought. 28

he oldest Head of State in the world has no plans of retirement, and despite his wife mysteriously managing to earn a PhD in three months, says that he has no intention of appointing her as his successor. The Zimbabwean political system is rotten to the core, and Mugabe’s divide and conquer tactics mean that there will almost certainly be a bitter power struggle once he dies. Of course, people have been saying that for years. When Mugabe came to power in 1980, first as Prime Minister and later as President, the future looked bright. Bob Marley performed in the country’s capital, Harare, to celebrate independence and congratulate Zimbabweans, but things took a turn for the worse fairly quickly. Economic prosperity gave way to controversial land redistribution laws, as white farmers saw their property seized by

the government and drought crippled the country. Mugabe blamed, and still blames, Zimbabwe’s ‘erstwhile masters’ (Britain) and other western powers for all of his woes. Corruption and greed prevented the socialist equality that Mugabe promised, and despite a small resurgence in the few years following 2010, Zimbabwe’s opposition party appears to be as weak as ever. Zimbabwe’s infamous economic crash of 2008 resulted in the second-worst case of hyperinflation that the world has ever seen. Prices were doubling in just over 24 hours, and carrying around bags of monopoly money became so unpractical that the country abandoned its own currency in 2009 and adopted the US dollar. 100 trillion dollar notes are now sold on the streets to tourists as souvenirs, and the US dollar stabilised the economy. What appears to be the case now, INTERNATIONAL

International

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

however, is that this was simply papering over the cracks. Using a different currency won’t fix an economy, and inflation was still a problem. Despite a combination of US dollars and South African Rand being used for small values, the smallest denomination of a $1 note was still a struggle for many of the poorest Zimbabweans. This has recently been addressed with the introduction of bond notes and tokens, an idea that is a worrying throwback to the system of Zimbabwean dollars having an expiry date. The treasury has recently announced that it is going to begin printing its own special US dollar ‘bond notes’ in the hope that it will facilitate the transition back to its own suspended currency. These dollars will not be legal tender in the US, and as a result cannot be used to buy imports. This makes the idea of using a hard INTERNATIONAL

currency in the first place useless and could result in the favouring of “real” US dollars over the Zimbabwean equivalent.

“If he isn’t careful, we could see a return to 2008’s farcical scenes where you would pay for a meal before you ate it because the price would have gone up by the time you were finished.”

Mugabe’s short-term plan of printing more money when there is a shortage doesn’t add up. If he isn’t careful, we could see a return to 2008’s farcical scenes where you would pay for a meal before you ate it because the price would have gone up by the time you were finished.

WORDS BY KIM PULLINGER 29

Sports You May Have We know that most students live busy lives so, in between post-Jesters hangovers and the odd lecture, you probably haven’t been paying attention to some of the main sporting events taking place around the world. Fortunately, as two humanities students with very little to do, we spend most of our time watching sport, and as such can be your guides through the sporting wilderness, reviewing some sports events that get little mainstream coverage in the UK.

Basketball Why you’ve missed this

No normal human should stay up until 3am every night.

Where you can watch it next time

The Playoffs are ongoing, with coverage on BT Sport, or NBA Livepass, if you can deal with the insomnia. There have been two major storylines in the NBA this season. The first being the retirement tour of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, the second being the Golden State Warrior’s pursuit of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ all-time single season wins record. The Kobe retirement tour was slightly let down by the fact he’s no longer the player he used to be and the fact he was playing with probably the worst supporting cast of his career, but in his final game he put on a show at the Staples Centre, scoring 60 points in a Lakers win (it took him 50 shots to do it, but efficiency has never been Kobe’s strength). The Warriors have been far more interesting, because they are actually good at basketball. Led by the trio of Steph Curry (last season’s MVP, who also set a new record for single-season 3-pointers made), Klay Thompson and Draymond Green they’ve turned last year’s championship success into a tilt at being the greatest single season team of all time, starting out by winning 24 straight games. They tied the Bulls by beating title contenders San Antonio, before easing to a win against Memphis on the last day of the season to secure their 73rd win of the year. Chances are we’ll get a Warriors-Cavaliers Finals series, in a replay of last year, which means another face-off between Curry and LeBron James, possibly the two best players in the game.

outhouse racing Why you’ve missed this This seems obvious.

Where you can watch it next time

There’s no TV coverage (sadly), so if you want to watch get yourself to Virginia City, NV on October 1st-2nd 2016. This ridiculous sport is entering its 27th year, with championships taking place in Nevada in October. The aim of the sport is simple: to push your customised outhouse (portaloo, as they’re known in the UK) round a course in the quickest possible time. Each outhouse must have three costumed team members: a rider and two pushers. Last year’s winners were Sport A Potty, beating Dung Fo Warrior and Commando Commode to the title in a thrilling finale. 32

SPORT

Missed This Year WORDS BY ALEX PLIMMER & FRAZER LOVEMAN

IMAGES BY OLLIE SILVESTER

SQUASH

Why you’ve missed this Barely any TV coverage.

Where you can watch it next time

BT Sport show the Semi-finals and Finals of major competitions, highlights are available on YouTube. This year has been a transition year for squash, a slow fading of the old guard and the emergence of some outstanding new talents on the PSA and WSA. Whilst in the men’s game, the season has been mostly dominated by young Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy, the 25-year old world no.1 (somehow still a university student at UWE), this year has seen bright young talents, such as his brother Marwan El Shorbagy, Ali Farag and Mazen Hesham, producer of some of the most outrageous shots in squash history, come forward and state their case to join the world’s elite. At the other end of the scale, the older players have been raging against the dying of the light. World no.2 Gregory Gaultier sealed his first World Open title in November last year, beating Omar Mosaad, who finally seems to be reaching his full potential. From a British perspective, Nick Matthew remains world no.3 and James Willstrop has shown signs of a revival. In the women’s game, there has been a real shake-up at the top of the rankings, with Nicol David, previously ranked no.1 for 108 consecutive months, dropping to third, and Britain’s Laura Massaro reaching an historic first time at the summit of the women’s game. However, it has been the rise of Nouran Gohar, 18, and particularly Nour El Sherbini, 20, the two finalists of the recent British Open final, that has really turned heads this season. In both the men’s and women’s game, the signs point to a very bright future for squash.

pro kabaddi Why you’ve missed this You’ve not heard of it yet.

Where you can watch it next time

Star Sports India is the host broadcaster, Sky Sports show a highlights package quite sporadically in a variety of time/channel slots. The traditional Indian sport of Kabaddi (which is essentially tag, mixed with wrestling, mixed with holding your breath for long periods) has seen a revamp in the last couple of years. This year marked the third season of the Pro Kabaddi League, with 8 franchises battling it out over a month in cities across India, like the IPL for masochists. This year’s champions were the Patna Pirates, who triumphed over U Mumba led by their talisman, Sandeep ‘The Beast from the East’ Narwal (important point: all good Kabaddi players are called Narwal). Both the Puneri Paltan and Bengal Warriors made the playoffs for the first time, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively. Bengal were led by Jang Kun Lee, the ‘Korean King of Kabaddi’, showing that the sport has true international appeal. The unfortunate teams not to make it to this stage were the Telugu Titans, the fantastically-named Jaipur Pink Panthers, the Bengaluru Bulls and the ultimately useless DaBang Dehli. If you could choose one sport to start watching next year, this should be it. SPORT

WORDS BY THOMAS RANDALL IMAGE BY BETHANY WESTALL

Throvgh the AgEs

ith the American election and the rise of Donald Trump, the archivist at Pause has uncovered several old manuscripts and news articles covering the exploits in the past of Trump’s noble ancestors.

AYE! Today a letter from Governor Trumpius, Governor of Britannia Inferior, arrived at the Imperial Senate. Calling for the construction of a wall to keep the Picts out of his provinces, the letter reads as follows: “When Caledonia sends its Picts, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending their brightest. They’re sending people with lots of problems. And they’re bringing their problems with them. They’re bringing their inter-tribal disputes. They bring blue face paint. They bring weapons. They are barbarians. Many of them do not even speak Latin. And some of them, I assume, are good people” Our glorious Imperium has long had problems with the Barbarian tribes on the frontiers of Caledonia and Germania, but the solution of “building a ‘yuge wall” as suggested by Governor Trumpius is certainly a radical solution and a bold move. Some senators suspect that he is pandering to the British tribes under his rule, many of which are concerned that the Picts will undercut them in their traditional employment of looting and pillaging. Senator Clintonus, from one of the oldest and most corrupt Roman political dynasties, told us that Trumpius is seeking glory in the provinces in a grubby ploy to gain political capital in Rome for his future political career and that we should not take his proposals seriously, with Clintonus’ faction in the Senate advocating that Rome uses superior economic muscle to eventually civilise the Caledonian tribes. 34

However, Emperor Hadrian is said to be warm to the idea of building a wall along the frontier. Citing the need to ‘Make Rome Great Again’ in an interview he gave while lying on a couch and eating grapes, construction on the wall is expected to begin at the Ides of March.

The Daily Chainmail’

ir Donald of Trump, a Commander of the Knights Hospitaller, has proposed more aggressive measures to be employed in the defence of the Kingdom of Jerusalem against Saladin’s armies, including stopping Saracens from being allowed to enter the realm of said kingdom. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Chainmail, he told us the following “I don’t have Saracenphobia. Many Saracens are good people. I love Saracens. But we have a problem. Nobody in the Vatican has a clue what they are up to. I propose a complete shutdown on all immigration into the Holy Land until the Pope figures out what the hell is going on. I have the best people. I am the smartest man in Christendom. The Pope should accept he is low energy and allow me to conduct the defence of the Holy Land. I’m going to win so much you’ll get bored of hearing about successful crusades.” Rome insiders claim that Sir Donald doesn’t really mean what he says, sending a small army prone to infighting against the mighty host of Saladin would doubtless be futile. However, the Catholic Church has recently been seen as weak by many, cutting back on burning heretics and the all-important PAUSE

inquisitors was a controversial move amongst many Conservatives in the Vatican. Such talk, even if not backed up by actions, will build up his support base amongst the Cardinals unhappy with the direction the Church is taking, in anticipation for a possible campaign for Pope at the next Papal Conclave when Pope Gregory IX finally dies of syphilis.

The revolutionary Times After all the leading generals were guillotined for insufficient revolutionary fervour, only one candidate remains to lead the National Guard into war against the reactionary powers of Austria, Prussia, Britain and Spain. Brigadier-General Du Truemp has promised to reverse France’s fortunes in the wars against her Monarchist enemies and safeguard the revolution in the name of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, except for the people we don’t like. Asking the banking houses for a small PAUSE

loan of 1 million Francs to fuel his campaign, Du Truemp told us: “We don’t make muskets anymore. You know who makes muskets? Prussia. We have outsourced cannons to Britain. I will bring our weapons back from the Reactionary powers. I will bring our jobs back. Then I will crush them. I have the best generals. They love me. We’re going to win like you won’t believe. We will be the greatest again. I’m going to bomb the hell out of Prussia, take the resources and leave. France first.” We saw him marching towards Russia in October, but still he claimed to be the ‘smartest general in France’ and having ‘all the best advisors’. Emperor Napoleon has expressed doubt about Du Truemp’s war strategy, but he was too busy frantically trying to grow another inch of height to really do anything about it. Du Truemp didn’t give a detailed strategy outline to the Revolutionary Times, claiming instead that he would “blast the Reactionaries back into the Stone Age” with cannons, having made “trade deals you won’t believe” to support the honest, decent, French munitions worker in making the needed cannons.