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Southampton University’s Student Magazine / 3 / Zoohampton / 16 / An alternative valetines / 19 / Top 10 places to visit in 2013 / 27 / A whole new ball game
ISSUE 5 FEB 2013 www.wessexscene.co.uk
1 / WS / Editors ///
EDITORS
E D I TOR’ S LE TTE R / Editor / Ellie Sellwood
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/ Deputy Editor / Jo Fisher / Graphic Designer / Bronwen Rees / Online Manager / Sam Whitehall / Imagery / Sasha Spaid, / Bryony Wellburn / Features / Andy Haywood / Amy Sandys / Science / Claire Critchley / Politics / Charlotte Harwood / Alexander Green / Winchester / Amy Harwood / Opinions / Samuel Gilonis / David Mendoza-Wolfson / Travel / Chris Clarke / Lifestyle / Emma Hobbs / Emma Chappell / International / Jack Kanani / Sport / Jack Winter / Richard Windsor / News / Tom Durham / Sera Berksoy / Pause / Sam Everard / Publicity / Luke Goodger / Front Cover by Amy Harwood /
/ Get in touch... We want your letters to the Editor for page 2 in the next issue so send us your comments to editor@soton.ac.uk / Be sure to head online to check out our regularly updated News section and Pause, our procrastination central.
/// Societies / WS / 2
SOCIETIES COLUMN / Jade Head /
I hope that you all enjoyed refreshers last week and found a new society to join or re-found one that you hadn’t been to for a while! Refreshers really showed that there are so many societies out there to get involved with and remember that you can still join most societies at any point during the year. I personally think all the societies did a great job and I’ll take this opportunity to say a massive thanks and well done to them! It was great to see that so many of you managed to check out the mini- bunfight. Even though it was on a much smaller scale then the main one (and thankfully did not involve such an early start!) it was a great opportunity for everyone to see the great student groups we have on offer here at Southampton. Societies have been busy since the new year- as well as refreshers they have been putting on some amazing events. Fish on toast recently played host to Julie Meyer-one of the most successful female entrepreneurs
in UK. Southampton Electronic Music Society recently held their second HORIZON eventan event of chilled out electronic music which really showcased some talented people from the musical industry. This event also saw them pair up with DJ soc which really showed society collaboration at its best. One of our newest societies- Fancy Dress soc held their first social, which involved dressing as something beginning with the letter of your first name- there were certainly some very weird and wonderful costumes out that night! Explore the UK recently went on a trip to London, whilst SUCA (Conservatives) took over quiz and curry and they will be doing plenty more events to raise money for the Society of St James. As you may know Valentine’s day is coming up- many societies will be putting on events with a romantic theme so be sure to look out for them and who knows you might meet your perfect partner there!
Since the last issue we also have 15 new societies. Good luck to them all: Northern Irish Society Biological Sciences Postgraduate Society (BSPS) CookCook Society University of Southampton Education Society Engineers Without Borders Southampton Society Euroavia Southampton (ES) Society Fancy Dress Society Lawyers without Borders Southampton Student Division Piano Society Russian Speaking Society Sport & Exercise Medicine Society (SEMSoc) Afghan Society University of Southampton Amicus Society Audiology Society Zumba+ Society
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Below is a quick taster of events coming up this month. As always head to our website or check out Facebook for more details: 4th- 8th February- Christian Union events week Uncover. See sucu.org.uk/uncover for more details 9th February- Theatre Group’s Shakespeare in a week 16th February- Erasmus trip to Oxford 20th February- Explore the UK collaborative event ‘International Love’ February- SLAPS trip to Spain Also this month ‘Give it a Go’ is launching over at Winchester School of Arts in which many of our societies, sports clubs and other student groups will be giving students over in Winchester the chance to try out a whole range of activities that usually happen in Southampton. So to all our Winchester readers be sure to check them out! As always please feel free to get in touch if you want any more information about any of the societies above or societies in general. You can email me on societiesofficer@susu.org or check out our website susu.org for all the details you need!
3 / WS / Features ///
ZOOHAMPTON / Helen Kitley /
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Imagine for a moment, that you are taking a relaxing walk on The Common.You are wandering along, minding your own business, when suddenly out of nowhere, you’re shocked by the sound of a trumpeting elephant, let loose in the grounds! and tigers and even, at one time, a polar bear, oh my! ‘The intimate and friendly zoo of the South’
Well, if Syououndcastfar-fetched? your mind back thir-
ty years, it wouldn’t be all that far from the truth… Between 1961 and 1985, in the houses surrounding the area, intermittent growls, roars and squawks could be heard echoing from inside the park. Tucked away in a corner of The Common, on the site of a bombed eighteenth century cottage, could be found ‘Southampton Zoological Gardens’, home to a plethora of exotic birds and beasts from around the world. For an entrance fee of just 10p, you could spend an afternoon visiting an exciting host of different species, including elephants, penguins, giraffes, sea lions, chimpanzees, rhinos, lions
Dubbed ‘the intimate and friendly zoo of the South’, this was no ordinary zoo. Its proprietor was none other than Jimmy Chipperfield, a self-professed ‘showman with a circus background’, well known for his place in the Chipperfield Circus family, and later, for his role in establishing Longleat Safari Park. Scorning the design of conventional zoos, he prided himself on reducing the division between animals and humans to a minimum. ‘The paddocks,’ he says in the old guidebook, ‘are designed to give the visitor an opportunity to get as close as is practicable, and most of the animals can be hand fed.’ These innovative methods were sometimes a subject of controversy. Some believed that the low, open enclosures were to blame when one of the elephants managed to escape from his pen one night and roam around The Common for a while before being apprehended. And in the late ‘70s, after the mysterious sudden death of an elephant, a post-mortem found a carrier
bag in its stomach, allegedly fed to it over the railings by a member of the public. But to the excitable young visitors, this interaction with the animals was crucial to the unique and memorable experience the zoo offered. Paul Robinson, who regularly visited the zoo as a child, remembers, ‘We used to reach across to feed the elephants, and our fingers would get sucked up their trunk!’ And Ian Knight says, ‘I’ve early memories of either a camel or giraffe reaching over and nibbling on my Mum’s handbag!’ It doesn’t take very much digging to find a wealth of nostalgia for the place. Any long-time Southampton resident, or parent who grew up here, is likely to have some recollection of childhood visits.
In the children’s part of the zoo, there were tortoises and guinea pigs.’ Helen Lafford has fond memories of visiting the zoo with her grandmother. ‘We used to take a picnic tea, and we could hear the civic centre bells as we sat eating it on the Common. In the children’s part of the zoo, there were tortoises and guinea pigs.’ She adds, ‘there were chimpanzee tea parties every afternoon, which were hilarious. The chimps drank tea and generally misbehaved!’ This throwback to Chipperfield’s circus past seems to have been a highlight for many children. One chimp in particular seems to have left a lasting impression. ‘James was the main attraction’, says Paul. ‘He liked imitating visitors. As young boys we loved pretending to pick our nose and watching him do it back!’ As history has it, James would also smoke the cigarettes of visitors, gesturing at them for a fag and then chucking their lighter back to them. He was also partial to jam sandwiches. The chimps were trained by Jimmy’s daughter, Mary Chipperfield, who used Southampton Zoo as a base for taming a variety of wild animals for roles in films and the family circus show. She also hand-reared rescued and baby animals and allowed them to live with her in
the bungalow at the centre of the site. A film that shows Mary training and playing with her animals at the zoo can be seen on the British Pathé database. But, despite all the golden remembrances of performing monkeys and giraffes fed with popcorn, memories of the zoo are not unequivocally positive. Some remember it simply as ‘rather tatty and run down’. Others haven’t been able to look
`For an entrance fee of just 10p, you could spend an afternoon visiting an exciting host of different species…` at it the same way since Mary Chipperfield was convicted of 12 accounts of animal cruelty in 1998. While these convictions were related to her work with the circus rather than the zoo, for some, their memory of the zoo has been tarnished by association. And the living conditions in the zoo itself appear to have been far from ideal. The big cats, in particular, were kept in overly confined spaces. Paul says, ‘looking back, the cages were very small’. A map of the site shows how many different species were fitted into a space of just a couple of acres. In the ‘80s the living conditions
and welfare of the animals, as well as the lack of facilities for the public, gradually became a cause for concern. Without the money to adhere to new changes in zoo legislation, Southampton Zoo finally closed in 1985, to the dismay of many Southampton residents. Now: Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre Soon after its closure, the Council approved plans to develop the site into the ‘Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre’ that still remains today. The centre is enclosed within the boundaries of the old zoo, but little of the original grounds still remain. Regardless of the Chipperfield controversy, and the decline of the zoo in its later years, Southampton Zoo retains a special place in the memories of those awed children who visited all those years ago. So, next time you visit The Common, just think, you may well be stepping the path that an escaped elephant once trod...
/ Images from Robert R&N and www.britishpathe.com / Email contact: features@wessexscene.co.uk
IS IT STILL SAFE TO SAVE?
/ Tahlie Cooper / ///
With a 2.7% increase in inflation from November it is becoming more and more difficult to decide where to keep our money. With minimal choices of saving and investment, it seems the most obvious options for students is in banks, secure and without the risks of investing. But is saving as safe as it seems? rates are edging closer I nterest to record lows which means
we’re paying a high price for trying to secure our finances. YouGov, in association with LionTrust, says the problem with saving is ‘when tax and particularly inflation are taken into account, it is quite challenging for savers to generate a ‘’real’’ return on their hard earned cash’. So with the little interest failing to fill our pockets, investment is becoming more and more popular. 10%, in the polls of the Institute of Financial Planning, are now considering diverting to the stock market for a better return. The obvious downfall is the high risks associated with equity investment. With a greater uncertainty in long -term returns, it is no wonder students are risk averse, with 71% of people aged 18-24 stating that they were very unlikely to consider investment. John Ions, Chief Executive of LionTrust, says: ‘It is worrying that despite low interest rates from banks and building societies so many people are unlikely to invest in stock markets in the next year’. It seems that savings are still prevailing as the best option, but by how much do banks win the race? It appears to be a close finish with the average cash ISA paying a unsatisfactory rate of 1.9%. So if you want to stick to saving and not
explore other options…at least explore other banks. It’s vital if you are going to keep it in the bank, keep it in the best one for you! If interest rates are next to nothing, why not purchase premium bonds? However, much like saving and investing it has its pros and cons. Despite having no scheduled interest, bonds allow you to enter your assigned numbers in a monthly draw to win cash. Pitfall: every £1 bond delivers the not so promising odds of 24,000 to 1! But with prizes from £25 to £1,000,000 you can get more 0’s on the end of that cheque the more bonds you buy. Unfortunately bonds deliver no interest whatsoever but with low rates right now, perhaps spreading your money across banks and bonds could be an option. So what’s the best option for your money? Sadly there is no perfect answer. The reality is that if you’re willing to take the risk, investment can potentially bring with it bigger returns than the banks. But, understandably, with students already tightening belts for beer no one wants to put their money on the line. Savings and bonds will either bring a guaranteed return (guaranteed to be miserably tiny!), or one ranging between anything from 0 to 1,000,000! One thing
students are advised to do is to simply browse for the best opportunity! Whether you’re ready to jump into equity investment or simply want to find the safest place to save make sure you get sound financial advice. Whether it’s the websites or the banks on campus, research is what can secure your decision on securing your finances! / Image by Bronwen Rees /
Email contact: features@wessexscene.co.uk
/// Politics / WS / 6
Will 2013 Be A Breakout Year For Europe’s Far-Right? ///
/ Alexander Green /
Sorry to ruin your day, but I’ve got some bad news. The next 11 months looks set to be another bleak year for the Eurozone economy with the continent’s economic peril more likely to worsen in the coming months than improve. is a bitter blow to Thethenews European people, with
now over 25 million in the continent put out of work since the crisis began. 2013 then will not be a year of prosperity, but more austerity. For many, this has set off alarm bells. There is a growing fear that Europe’s democracies are straining under the weight of its economically vulnerable populations; and that another year of the economic downturn - and severe austerity measures - will be enough time to allow Europe’s growing far-right parties to truly break away from the periphery into the political mainstream. None more so than Greek party Golden Dawn who, in June, became Europe’s biggest far-right party, winning 18 seats in the Greek Parliament. The Hellenic Republic is far from alone however; Finland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Spain and France have seen substantial rise in support in the extreme right. Parts of Britain flirted with idea with the election of two BNP MEPS in 2009. Creeping inflation, low growth and high unemployment, Europe could be seen as ripe for fascist picking.
Not so. While such support is undoubtedly troubling - as any parties with anti-immigrant, fascist, racist or Neo-Nazi agenda would be - Europe is far from a right-wing uprising. It is merely the growth of populism - the standard response to economic crises. Indeed, let’s put a bit of content into it. Golden Dawn’s 18 seats were won with a minuscule percentage of 6.9% of the vote. This is despite the fact that the meltdown in Greece has been more severe in scale and duration than that of 1930s Germany. In fact, there was more a turn towards the left-wing Syriza party, who are now the major opposition party in the Greek government. In France, Marine Le Pen’s Front National may have gained nearly one-in-five of votes in the 2012 elections, but her party still failed to make the second round of the election while Le Pen didn’t even win a seat. Elsewhere, Spain’s Espana 200 may be growing, but it still remains outside of national representation; whilst in the Northern European countries, the growth of right-wing parties is based on Euro-scepticism more than xenophobia.
The threat of the extremeright-has thus been overstated. Certainly, it not by mere coincidence that the countries with the largest threat of extremism are Greece and Spain, where the unemployment rate is ranked in the high twenty percentages, but the analogy of recession becoming extremism is far too easy. The belief that right-wing rhetoric will gain significant traction within the continent based on the fact it did nearly 80 years ago - is thus wrong. It not only simplifies the unique historic situation of the 1930s and The Great Depression, but that of Europe today. One thing’s for sure however; Europe will continue to face its most severe crisis since the organisation’s inception over a century ago. Will it face farright challenges? Of course, but for now, these parties remain murmurs on the periphery. Fix the European economy and most will shrink back into oblivion.
/ Image by Richard Williams / Email contact: politics@wessexscene.co.uk
7 / WS / Politics ///
THE LEVESON INQUIRY: Will there ever be a solution
/ Aaron Mulford / ///
After nine months of oral hearings, 337 witnesses, and an almost uncountable number of long, complex words used by Robert Jay QC, the Leveson report into the culture, practices and ethics of the press has finally been published. Within its two light blue covers, four volumes, and 1978 pages it serves up a thought provoking banquet, the main course being a new statutory backed regime. this involves Ecanxactlyonlywhat be grasped through
reading much of the report itself, a laborious task I do not wish upon anyone, so here is a brief summary of what the system would mean. The new Regulator’s Board would be independent of politicians and the press, although the members would have had experience in the industry. The only input the press can have would be a single serving editor on the Appointments Committee, that would appoint the members of the Board, and in the Code Committee, which advises the Board on the issue of a press code of conduct- by which all signatory journalists
would have to abide. The Board would also consider complaints and would have the power to impose sanctions on papers that breaches the code, although the Board could not stop an article being published. The question as to why papers would choose to join this regulator is answered by the incentive of an internal arbitration. Arbitration differs from a trial as in arbitration a specialist decides the case after an investigation. This is opposed to a normal case, where a judge decides after an adversarial trial procedure. The procedure is therefore less expensive than a full trial, as barristers are not used.
Paralleling this development the regular court system would forthwith refuse to allow media companies to demand payment from the losing party in litigation for their lawyer’s fees. This will all be organised through co-ordinated action by the press itself. There would then only be three uses of the statute: firstly to place the government under a legal duty to protect the freedom of the press, secondly, to provide an independent process to make sure the regulator meets the requirements of independence and effectiveness and thirdly to validate the body and make the legal changes for regular courts mentioned above.
It then seems a very effective remedy. The new system improves on its predecessor by having an independent Board, an independent Appointments Committee, and a backstop recognition organisation to regulate the regulator, most likely to be Ofcom. The legislation is not the beginning of a slippery slope towards a Big Brother style totalitarian state, not a ‘shackling’ of newspapers, but in many senses liberation. A similar stipulation was included in the Constitutional Reform Act of 2005, making certain the Lord Chancellor is under a duty to protect the ‘rule of law’. Until this point there was a tendency for the courts to defer to the government, the real danger seeming to be what George Orwell classed ‘self-censorship’. The only objection is the inherent defectiveness of regulators and law. It is true that however effective the law, not every single criminal would be brought to ‘justice’. Nevertheless, in the case of the media it is preferable that we catch more than the current number of unruly jour-
nalists. It is therefore, undoubtedly true that the Leveson solution is not perfect, but it would certainly be more effective than the current system.
“scandal, inquiry, remedial action, relaxation, complacency, scandal, inquiry” The next question is ‘will any of this ever see the light of day?’ There are two components, which need to happen: the statute and the press regulator. On the first, the Prime Minister, quicker than you could say Uturn, stood up in the House of Commons and refused to vote for the £5.1m solution, the main reason being that the government felt it could not write such a bill. End of the statute? Not likely, as both the Liberal Democrats and Labour party said they supported the reports recommendation. After a meeting between the three party leaders the Prime Minister agreed to attempt to draught a
bill. The current government thinking is that a bill would be possible and, instead of Ofcom, a new recogniser based on the Royal Charter would be created. So there seems political will on this front to implement Leveson. But what about the most important component, the new regulator? On this score there has, unfortunately, been less success. The editors of the most newspapers have been receptive to the idea, and at any rate a new regulator of some shape or form will certainly emerge. However, in The Observer David Puttnam identified the reticence of the Sunday Times, among others, to signing up to the scheme. Leveson thus may simply be part of a familiar cycle, as mentioned by Lord Condon, of “scandal, inquiry, remedial action, relaxation, complacency, scandal, inquiry” and this ‘once in a generation opportunity’ may instead be ‘once every decade’. / Image by Helen Scibilia / Email contact: politics@wessexscene.co.uk
/// Science / WS / 10
HOW STRESS MESSES UP THE... ERM ... MEMORY ///
/ Claire Critchley /
Stress. We all know how it feels and what makes us stressed, but do you know why it affects you and what it does to your brain? In this article Margaux Lesaffre explains it all and provides some helpful hints on reducing stress.
A
little stress can be very beneficial, because it improves your learning speed and boosts motivation. But equally, if stress is severe and persists for a long time it can affect your mental health and cause a loss of brain cells. You will certainly have experienced a stressful situation, especially over the last few weeks; waiting outside that exam room holding your notes with sweaty palms, paging through them while feeling your heart racing, your breath panting. You take a sip of water to relieve the sensation of drought in your mouth. Now you close your notes, you breathe heavily trying to relax, but the murmur of your course mates makes it worse. You enter the room, and the sight of the chairs all aligned next to each other further increases your stress level. You sit and wait. The invigilator then puts the exam paper on your desk. And finally it begins: “You can now start the exam, you have two hours”. You open it, skimming quickly through the questions and here it is, your memory seems blank and you have trouble focusing. Well the good news is you can blame it on your amygdala!
Firstly you need to know that the brain is split into several different sections; the more instinctive and primitive parts in the brain such as the striatum, hypothalamus and the amygdala, form a hierarchy, all controlled by the prefrontal cortex, which is situated behind your forehead. This simply means the caveman sections at the back of the brain are controlled by the
The answer lies in your hormones and your neurones spaceman sat at the front. The prefrontal cortex is the most evolved area of the brain and in normal conditions it is responsible for controlling our social behaviour and emotions. So why does this change under stressful conditions? The answer lies in your hormones and your neurones. When your body is under stress, it releases a cascade of hormones, which causes the prefrontal cortex to surrender and transfer the control of our emotions to the more primitive parts of the brain. This causes the striatum and amygdala, the parts of the brain which regulate
inappropriate actions and controlling emotions such as fear, respectively, to increase their activity, secreting dopamine and noradrenaline. High levels of those two hormones activate receptors in the brain, which open channels and prevent linkages between neurones. If neurones cannot link, the prefrontal cortex cannot control the amygdala and the striatum, and thus our emotions take over, causing mental paralysis and panic. Neurones are the messengers in your brain, or in this analogy a time machine. The neurones are connected by dendrites. In stressful conditions the dendrites can be lost. If the stress is episodic, those connections have the ability to regrow, but if the stress becomes more chronic and long term, they will disappear permanently. On top of this, glucocorticoid, another stress hormone, can also affect cognitive functions such as memory. The section of the brain used when learning something for an exam is the hippocampus - it consolidates information by transferring it from the short-term memory to the long-term memory. The problem with the hippocampus
is that it contains glucocorticoid receptors. If glucocorticoids bind to those receptors in the hippocampus, the ability to convert short-term memory to long-term memory is reduced. So here are some tips to help you reduce tension and increase your potential to remember during exams: •
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ful! One way to do this is to associate the information you are trying to remember with an image as bizarre as possible. •
Test yourself ! As much as you can, it will help you to focus your answer and get use to the question style.
The more often you introduce a piece of information in your short-term memory, the more chance it has to be transferred into your longterm memory. So instead of forcing yourself to learn, try to just look over the material as many times as you can.
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If the exam room is unfamiliar, visit the place the day before, paying attention to the little details, while listening to relaxing music. Your brain will associate the place with the music, reducing tension, on the day of the exam.
If the material is lacking context, make it meaning-
•
Before the exam, try to recall an enjoyable place
you’ve been to or a pleasant memory; remember the sounds, smells and colours associated to it. If you feel overwhelmed during the exam, take a minute to think about your pleasant memory. The happy memory will release serotonin, giving you a sensation of wellbeing and releasing tension. Now that you know how stress affects memory, you can help stay in control and make the most of your potential!
/ Image
by Anna Glover /
Email contact: science@wessexscene.co.uk
/// Opinion / WS / 12
WHY MY FAITH IS IMPORTANT TO ME / Joshua McDonald / ///
Joshua McDonald, a Christian Union committee member, tells us why faith is important to him
y name is Joshua McM Donald, I’m a third year
Biochemist, and I’m a Christian. People often seem surprised that I can be both a scientist and a Christian, I however think they are not conflicting issues and would even go as far to say that they complement each other. This, however, is an argument for another day. In order understand why my faith is important to me, I need to explain who I have faith in. People often mistake faith to be “belief in something without total proof ” however I belief faith to be “trust”. That is what Jesus asks of us. We are not expected to follow blindly like robots, but to trust. With our friends, we have to trust them. This can be applied to Jesus too – all He wants is a relationship with us, and the way He showed His love for us was to save us from our sins. Dying for the sake of humanity, so that we could be free. You’ll often see members of the Christian Union wandering round in their blue hoodies with a quote on the back. The quote is this “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance”. This quote is actually missing a key sentence. The last line of the quote is this: “The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
This here is the key, Jesus himself said that He is the way, the truth and the life. If you were to believe what Jesus taught and said, then He is not only our saviour, but the way into heaven; the only way. If this is true it is of infinite importance. Therefore, if Christianity is false, then all we do as a Christian Union is a waste of time. However, if it does turn out to be true, then it is something we should all seriously consider. Faith can be personal, but equally it has a different purpose too. It is not meant to be kept under lock and key when we find it and trust in Jesus. This is the reason the Christian Union puts on so many events, and I would encourage you to not to just read what I have written here, but actually look into it for yourself. Ultimately it is not a matter of my faith being important to me, but the truth that I believe this message holds. The CU’s Events Week is happening between the 4th and 8th of February, with free lunch everyday in the Cube @2PM and with evening interviews in The Bridge @7PM / Images
by Dan Hawkins /
Email contact: opinion@wessexscene.co.uk
WHAT DO YOU CALL A GAY BISHOP? HOPEFULLY A LIAR. / Samuel Gilonis /
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Samuel Gilonis takes a stand against The Church of England’s decision to allow gay clergy in civil partnerships to take senior positions in the C of E as long as they remain celibate. He argues that this is perhaps the stupidest and most obscene proclamation to come from Synod recently; a field with increasingly stiff competition. n Lahore I was asked by a I friend of mine in a nervous,
whispering giggle if I wanted to go and meet his gay friend, clearly a rarity in Pakistan, I thought it would be interesting and was then reassured that ‘he is a good Muslim and never has sex with men’. And so I smirked at my friend’s naivety and went to meet him (a nervous, astonishingly camp but friendly lad). I find it almost as hard to believe that the Church’s decision makers are as gullible as my friend on this point as I do to believe that what is effectively a married couple will remain celibate on God’s orders. Apart from anything else, surely the only partners they would be able to attract would be other gay bishops, at which point the imagery becomes too surreal to take seriously... No, it seems much more likely that this is just another cynical effort to hold together a disintegrating church by trying to placate both liberals and conservatives, satisfying neither, and making liars of all their gay clergy in the doing. Of course the Church’s other confrontation with homosexuality is the gay marriage question. For this argument it perhaps isn’t just the atheistically minded that have to stifle their sniggers at the idea of a divin-
ity that cares about your bed mates, revealed this hostility towards homosexuals to scattered Middle-Eastern tribes rather than the two contemporaneous civilizations, Roman and Greek, that were built on homosexual
‘If the tradition never evolved then it would be polygamous, racist and done without the consent of the bride(s).’ relations, and then left the tendency towards gay behaviour in every inhabitant of the animal kingdom from gut worms to giraffes to, well, Primates. The defenders of ‘traditional marriage’ claim that no government has the right to change a sacred ritual. Ignoring the fact that it is almost completely forgotten that in days recent, it was miscegenation that was thought to be the great threat to the sanctity of marriage with the last mixed race couple arrested in the US being only in 1967, marriage appears to have originated as a contract for the exchange of chattel (such as women and farming equipment) in societies without law - in what way are today’s marriages traditional? If the tradition never evolved then it would be polygamous, racist
and done without the consent of the bride(s). The moral side of the argument is too easy to waste more words on and is really one that only concerns the churchgoers given that marriage is a religious ceremony that has been adopted by our government, which has subsequently offered the exact same legal entitlements and status to the civil partnership. It is difficult to imagine the couple that would want a church to be forced to consecrate their union but, harder still to imagine is why the government has decided to act as enforcer for the religious bigots; Christian, Muslim and Jew; and force churches by law not to marry them. What should be an in-house squabble for everybody else to ignore, is made the business of everybody by the fact that we are talking about an established church: the C of E, which to its disgrace, still maintains twentysix unelected bishops in the House of Lords and holds the power to pass Measures with the same force as Acts of Parliament. As long it continues to do so why is this organisation not held to the Equality Act with regards to women bishops? The marriage of church and state has surely never been as clumsily practised as now: when the
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Synod voted against women bishops, they are attacked by the state and when they allow their new strain of virgin bishops to be ordained, the government makes it illegal for religious leaders to have gay marriages performed on their premises! There are two things that we can learn from this decrepit church and that those (perhaps not just the theistically minded) who hope to prevent or at least forestall Larkin’s prophecy of derelict, weed ridden churches inhabited only by the superstitious after the last ‘Christmasaddict’ has gone - must come to realise. Firstly the church has to be separated from government. Its ideology is now irreconcilably divorced from our law and
morality on questions of gender, sexuality and secularism and its claim to power is increasingly laughable as church attendance plummets year on year. Secondly, if the Church intends to maintain even a veneer of credibility it needs to stop pretending that those of the flock that just like to sing a hymn on a Sunday, have anything in common with the disturbed bigots and homophobes in their ranks, a lot of which are inherited from the African Anglican churches (who in turn are suffering from the toxic ‘missions’ of evangelists from the United States whose anti-gay propaganda is widely thought to have inspired the Ugandan “Kill the Gays” bill).
The Rowan William’s thought to keep the church together with the intention of steering the congregations away from their homophobia seems bizarre if it is considered as any other prejudice - he couldn’t seriously suggest that the church had a duty to keep anti-Semites, for example, in their congregations - so it seems that the inevitable is something that the church should also be grateful for, they might consider a religious tradition more time honoured than Christmas, Diwali and Ramadan: a good old-fashioned schism. / Image
by Annie Rowland / Email contact: opinion@wessexscene.co.uk
/ Emma Hobbs /
It’s that time of year again when there are those singletons who moan about couples getting all gooey-eyed, couples who moan about singletons moaning, and others moan about everyone moaning. Valentine’s Day is looming its rose-covered head once more and thus the decision of how to celebrate (or not celebrate) is on many people’s minds. However, whether you are single or in a relationship, do something different from the usual stereotype this year and celebrate in style…
Single alternatives to wallowing in a sea of tissues, Channing Tatum DVDs and constant selfreassurance through Twitter that you are very happy with your relationship status: 1. Have a Spa Day. Rather than wishing someone else was giving you a massage, actually go and get one! This is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to a relaxing Shiatsu to get rid of your worries or a manicure to die for. 2. Travel. Whether it’s a week exploring Peru (perhaps not for us students) or a day trip to Stonehenge, why not make the most of the quiet roads and take a trip to somewhere you have always had a craving to go. 3. Gym it. This is a great day don the Lycra and head to the gym. Not only will the gym be filled with other single people, but you can build your selfconfidence at the same time. You’ll be positively glowing!
A couple’s alternative to over-priced chocolates and unattractively cramped restaurants in which you have to put up with the couple next to you nose-rubbing: 1. Take a class together. It could be dancing, photography, or even re-enacting the pottery scene from Ghost. Taking a class together will bring you closer, give you something you can both enjoy together and could even be something that you continue for the rest of the year. 2. Have an activity day. Why not take to your local leisure park and go bowling? Or maybe something a little more energetic? Rock climbing or ice skating can get the adrenaline pumping for hours. It might even last till Valentine’s Day night! 3. Invite another couple round It could be for dinner, drinks, games or all three! Spending the evening with another couple will provide a friendly and social alternative.
These are only a few suggestions out of thousands that you could do this Valentine’s. If you’re fed up with this day of celebrating love or if you do the same thing with your partner every year, why not branch out and have yourself an alternative Valentine’s Day.
THE CLOTHES SHOW LIVE: The D-List Fashion Event of the Year / Sarah Smyth /
/ Carla Yorukoglu / ///
Carla Yorukoglu and Sarah Smyth headed up to Birmingham to check out the 24th Clothes Show Live. From the front row, they offer the low-down on all the “celebrity” action, fashion trends and scantily clad male models... Hey, it’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it! Show Live: T anhe Clothes annual show featuring
models and dancers showcasing the latest trends and collections by the likes of TOWIES’ Gemma Collins and Peter Andre (genuinely, he has a collection called ‘alpha [sic] by Peter Andre’). This year’s show, with tickets starting at a pricey £29, was an hour-long catwalk based around a day in the life of a fashion editor, showcasing 270 outfits by the models from Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model. The event brought together 40 models and dancers who attempted to capture the glamorous life of working for a fashion magazine with segments including ‘Model Casting’ (cue men in their underwear), ‘A Photoshoot in Rio’ and ‘Fashion After Party’. Other attractions of the day included a large marketplace with vintage and high-street fashion stands, and beauty stalls offering demonstrations and master classes. The show was presented by Henry Holland, designer, and Grace Woodward, self-proclaimed professional ‘dresserupper’ and one woman show. Instead of starting off the show with a bang, it started with a
whimper – these two have as much charisma as a wet dish cloth. Our advice would be for them to stick to their day job as both looked fashion-forward; Grace pulled off a red mid-calf lace dress, a difficult style for anyone without Alexa Chung’s legs to get away with, and Henry stayed loyal to his dapper roots wearing an embellished suit. One awkward moment passed to the next as the band Times Red kicked off the show with a performance. Whilst the teenage girls went wild, we watched on befuddled, wondering whether we’d seen them on The X Factor this year. Unluckily for us, JLS had performed the day before. Thankfully, Times Red limped off after one song, making way for the models and the dancers to begin the show. The show’s magazine theme added a fun twist to the traditional catwalk. Each segment showcased fashion pieces that were inspired by the theme, and was intersected with high-energy dance routines that referenced pop culture – think Nicki Minaj and Gangnam Style. However, considering this was a fashion event, the A/W 2012 trends were gestured to rather than embodied as the focus
of the show, as it concentrated on the dancers rather than the clothes themselves – it was Fashion Week Lite if you will. We would have liked more emphasis on the key ways of dressing this season because, considering this is a high-street-style event, there was ample opportunity to demonstrate how to dress on a budget. Furthermore, the trends that were referenced were often inconsistent in themselves. The ‘Photo shoot in Rio’, for example, featured a playful take on swim and beach wear, but ended with the models wearing underwear that wouldn’t look out of place in Fifty Shades of Grey. It was unclear whether this was part of the Rio segment or whether we’d moved on to the next one. Our favourite look of the show was the opening sequence, ‘Model Casting’. The look was high glamour evening wear with short dresses, fur coats and sequins galore! The colour palette was dusky silver and pink tones, and the look was completed with red lipstick and a messy beehive – nonchalant glamour for the modern woman. Furthermore, this segment also included male models walking the catwalk in only underwear and
/// Lifestyle / WS / 18
perhaps a nod to Robert Pattinson’s performance in a certain vampire film! The battle between vampires and werewolves might be undisclosed, but we can confirm that these models trump both of them in the hotness stakes. Please see the photo for full details. Besides the main show, the event promised a fashionable marketplace with celebrity appearances, as well as clothes and beauty stands offering all the latest pieces and products. Even though we missed Amy Childs, Lauren Goodger and Katie Price, the ‘TOWIE effect’ continued to linger. On offer were fake tans, sleep-in rollers, teeth whitening booths, fake eyelashes and “books” claiming to reveal all about the Essex lifestyle. The clothes weren’t much better as they wouldn’t
have looked out of place at a car boot sale. Although there were some recognisable brands such as ‘Punky Fish’ and ‘David and Goliath’, most of what was on offer was poor quality printed t-shirts, vintage junk and mass produced nylon dresses. Judging by the number of shopping bags that teenage girls held, this event appeared to be tailored to a younger audience who are more Primark than Portobello. There was also a Graduate Catwalk and musical performances throughout the day. Our fashionable studded boots proved useful as we kicked our way through the stampede of thirteen year old girls to get close to the musical acts. With the level of hysteria suggested by the screaming, we thought the performer was the floppy haired one from One Direction but it
turned out to be Danny Shah (no, us neither). We’re embarrassed to admit that we were mildly disappointed. Overall, even though the event wasn’t as high fashion as we anticipated, we had a lot of fun, even if this was caused by the hilarity of the “stars” of TOWIE having their own fashion line. We managed to blag a few freebies and got our hands on some cheap beauty products, but unfortunately the shopping experience wasn’t as good as we had hoped. But how can we complain about an event where we sat front row at a show that had male models in their underwear? It’s all for the love of fashion, of course. / Images by Beckie Thomas / Email contact: lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk
TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN 2013 / Lucy Dyer /
Currency: Yuan Renminbi (1 GBP= 10.09512 CNY) US dollar (1 GBP= 1.61732 USD) Bulgarian Lev (1 GBP= 2.40137 BGN) Euro (1 GBP=1.22609 EUR) Croatian Kuna ( 1 GBP= 9.23952 HRK) Icelandic Króna (1 GBP= 206.018 ISK) Brazil Real (1 GBP= 3.35156 BRL)
1. Beijing, China + 8 hours Beijing is the cultural hub of China and as part of one of the fastest developing countries in the world it’s definitely a key place to visit this year. To make visiting even more accessible, Southampton Uni partakes in the ‘Study China’ programme. This trip of a lifetime is aimed at giving students international experience, broadening their cultural knowledge and helping them to understand the Chinese language, history and economic climate. Participants get tuition and accommodation fees paid for. Must see sights include: The Forbidden City, The Bird’s Nest Stadium, The Great Wall of China and The Beijing Zoo. Find out more by reading Ellie Sellwood’s article from the Dec issue on the Wessex Scene website!
2. New York, USA -5 hours It’s not always within a student budget, but if you’re willing to splash out there is no better place for the modern woman to shop and sight-see whilst feeling glamorous. Must see sights include Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and Grand Central Station. Top tip: the top of the Rockefeller provides better views and a more spacious viewing platform than the Empire State building.
3. Sunny Beach, Bulgaria + 2 hours Often described as a “hidden gem”, Sunny Beach is the perfect up and coming destination for a lad’s holiday. With sun from May until September, the cheapness of a non-Eurozone country, hundreds of bars and clubs to rival Ibiza, Sunny Beach has all the ingredients for the ultimate lad’s holiday. The highlights of this ‘lad haven’ include: Scandals Bar- staffed entirely by girls, Revolution night club which plays host to Ministry of Sound nights and a 5 mile beach
4. Jasna, Slovakia + 1 hour Jasna is Slovakia’s biggest and best ski resort which has seen considerable investment over the last few years. It is one of Europe’s most underrated snow zones and much cheaper than the other well-known destinations. The mountain range peaks at 2024m including a 1000m vertical drop, and offers a guaranteed 5 months of snow. Often described as “Narnia”, Jasna is picturesque and secluded- the perfect ski getaway for both novices and experts. Fancy skiing or snowboarding? Join the Southampton University Ski and Snowboard Club (SUSSC).
/// Travel / WS / 20
5. Dubrovnik, Croatia + 1 hour Rapidly becoming the modern party capital of Europe, Croatia combines culture, sun and entertainment for the ultimate all round holiday. If Croatia is the place for you then why not incorporate charity with your holiday and travel with The Hitch. The Hitch is a sponsored hitch-hiking event to raise money for Link Community Development and is one of the cheapest of its kind. The hike is a 900 mile journey over seven countries in six days ending in Croatia where you can visit the capital- Dubrovnik, and Split for a relaxing stress-free end to your trip. The best way to really see Dubrovnik is to walk around the city walls.
6. Reykjavik, Iceland 0 hours Off the beaten track and good value for money, Iceland offers a secluded haven for those looking for a quiet holiday with sights to die for including the Aurora Borealis. A must visit is the Blue Lagoon-Iceland’s most famous geothermal spa. Two of the best sights are Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir-the original geyser from which the rest are named, and these can both be seen on the Golden Circle tour.
7. The New Forest, UK Some of the best holidays are in the good old UK itself. Fancy an after exams break but that student loan won’t quite cover a 5 star hotel in Abu Dhabi? Then the next best thing is definitely camping, and where better than the New Forest? It’s not far from the university and all you need is a tent, a sleeping bag and some friends.
8. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -2 hours Rio’s economy is set to boom with the upcoming Olympics so why not get there before the crowds? Now more than ever Brazil will be welcoming tourists with open arms, as you walk around catching the rays, the key places to visit are Copacabana beach and Sugar Loaf Mountain by cable car, and join in with Carnival if you can!
9. Amsterdam, The Netherlands + 1 hour Amsterdam is good any year but will be even better this is year, as it is celebrating an assortment of anniversaries including 40 years of the canal ring, 175 years of the Artis Royal Zoo and Vincent Van Goth’s 160th Birthday. This array of celebrations is bound to mean lots of festivals, concerts and exhibits! The key sights in Amsterdam include: the red light district, the floating flower market and the ‘IAmsterdam’ sign. For the slightly less cultural of you, ‘I Love Tour’ are the “organisers of the world’s greatest …travel for university students” and they organise 3 night trips from £114 with a suggested itinerary involving a trip to the Heineken Museum, a cycle tour of the city and of course legendary nights out!
10. Ayia Napa, Cyprus +2 hours Famous for its blue sky, stunning beaches and crazy night life Ayia Napa is perfect for a girly holiday. With the Party Hard Tuesday bar crawl, clubs to suit everyone, Waterworld waterpark and Mayhem Saturday all you need to do now is get the cocktails in!
/ Image by Hannah Reed /
Email contact: travel@wessexscene.co.uk
21 / WS / International ///
LOCALLY SOURCED, AUTHENTICALLY INTERNATIONAL! / Katherine O’Brien / ///
Food is an integral part of any culture; with each nation having their own unique dishes, often very different from one another and call for unusual ingredients. England’s, according to National Geographic, is roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Jamaica’s is Ackee, a Caribbean fruit which resembles scrambled egg when boiled, and Saltfish. Furthermore, Korea’s is Bulgogi, a dish consisting of marinated and grilled prime cuts of meat accompanied by spinach and fermented vegetable pickle. Each of these dishes incorporates very different components, as well as methods of cooking, which results in many international students finding it difficult to recreate their own country’s dishes due to the scarcity of ingredients in the UK.
hen asked if he could W make traditional dishes from home in Southampton Constantinos Pouangare, a second year ITO student from Cyprus, answered: “Yeah, I can make traditional food in the UK but unfortunately some ingredients are missing here in Southampton, so I bring them with me every time that I come to England.” He went on to explain that the source for a specific type of rice from Cyprus which is similar to wheat does not exist in Southampton.
Many international students, including myself, bring ingre-
dients, such as seasonings, back with them from their countries of residence so as to enjoy the real thing and allow others to experience their culture in a delicious way. Elisa Stefaniak, a second year Computer Science student from Poland was asked the same questions and replied that “Quite often yes, I don’t cook that many things from home but mostly when I do I don’t have trouble finding them.” She went on to explain that ‘the spices we use are mostly the same.’ However, she observed a lack of variety in stores in the UK, saying that ‘Sometimes I have some trouble
with ingredients as there isn’t as much variety of things, and for example sausages are a bit different and in which case I find them in international shops.’ For any International student looking to cook a dish from home, it is essential to visit an international food store. If you find yourself unable to locate a store catering for international needs, then make sure you ask around, as the University is a hub for international cultures which will subsequently ensure that local stores caters to some international dietary needs - if not most! I myself struggled
when I first came to England, finding ingredients in order to make some of the foods from home, which at first I didn’t feel I could live without. For example, one of my favourite side dishes from Barbados is plantain wrapped in bacon. I went into all the large food stores such as Sainsburys, Asda and Tesco, but I could not find them anywhere. Later in the semester I discovered the ‘International Foods’ store in Portswood through an Indonesian friend who too had found locating some foods difficult. On making my way into ‘International Foods’ I not only found plantain but other vegetables and seasonings which were key ingredients in Barbadian dishes. ‘International Foods’ stores can be found throughout the UK. It supplies many different types of cuisine including Indian, Asian, European, Arabian, North African, South American and Caribbean. However there are most likely many more stores that
also cater for Internationals; it is just a matter of looking around for them. Although there are ingredients that cannot be found or prove very difficult to find in the UK, such as types of fish like flying fish or Mahi Mahi and seasonings, there are always alterna-
“Yes, I can make traditional food in the UK - but unfortunately some ingredients are missing here in Southampton, so I bring them with me every time that I come to England.” tives. For example, throughout the Caribbean there is something called a roti, which is basically a dhalpuri wrap filled with curried vegetables and meat. The dhalpuri wrap is not something that is common in England and if you do find it, it is usually rather expensive. Instead, it is worth
trying whole-wheat wraps as an alternative. Therefore, while you are in search of the real thing, why not look up alternatives on Google, and you never know, it might just be under a different name. As mentioned before, when you do locate the ingredient or food product you are searching for make sure to compare the prices, because it will often cost more in the UK than it does in the country it originated from. Part of the educational experience of being an international student is learning how to adapt, an important skill to have in today’s ever changing and developing world. So instead of giving into defeat over an absent ingredient, adjust the recipe, use something you haven’t before and be a little adventurous. You never know, you might end up cooking a masterpiece.
Email contact: international@wessexscene.co.uk / Image by Gabriela Macowiezcka /
SIR QUENTIN BLAKE! / Ankit Singh / ///
Following the news of Quentin Blake’s Knighthood in the New Year, illustration student Ankhit Singh explores the impact Blake has had on the world of illustration, children’s literature and our childhood. hat makes a storybook Winteresting? How is it that
we can imagine, wonder and make that small little book our friend who gave our childhood a chocolate factory? Sir Quentin Blake, (yes that adds the title), the illustrator who dedicated his lifetime to art-form, received a knighthood in the New Years Honors for his Services to illustration. He was recently honored with the prestigious Eleanor Farjeon Award in November 2012 for his services to children’s illustration. Sir Quentin Blake, best known for his illustration in books by Roald Dahl, has illustrated more then
300 books mostly for children. He has also made special illustrations for public places and drawing for TV programmes. Today, looking back at the work he did all his life, and looking at his illustration for Roald Dahl, the two seem so inseparable. It is like the lyrics by Dahl and the composition by Sir Blake worked for each other. His illustrations have been a reflection of our childhood. The simple use of ink in his flamboyant flair, the pure richness in sober colours mirrored the charm we look for in a book as children. Many have tried to mimic his style, but what is natural is natural.
Sir Blake’s work has its own flair and rhythm. The broken, dry continuous strokes of nibs, drawn with bamboo sticks, just gives his work that conventional style which is absent these days in contemporary illustration. The smooth and subtle colours tell their own story. His characters are not a realistic impression of his imagination, but are just a figment so that we can bring reality in our ingenuity. The tenor of impulse he breaks in, is from his lifelong commitment. The obsession to get what is right and required comes from many years of artistry. Blake produced his work in
/// Winchester / WS / 24 ///
///
multiple layers using a light box to add the film of colours. He is not worried about the escaping colours from the line; it is about the feel, it is about that moment when pen and paper amalgamate to portray a form that is eye catching. Giving more than half a century to what he loves to do the most, is a significance of his reflection. I will not say that people have tried copying his style, but will put it in terms that they are learning his language. His dedication and determination have unquestionably honored him in the best possible tribute.
As an illustrator myself, I know what part he has played in my life growing up. I still refer to his work sometimes, when I am lost for ideas. I am sure anyone as kid had his illustrated book next to his or her bed, after all what are dreams until we don’t have someone to add color in them? Sir Quentin Blake has been a celebrated head of illustration at RCA, a leading promoter for House of Illustration, and also a substantial supporter of young talent and blood, who dedicated their lifestyle and work to be a promising artist. There is so much about the honorable personality that is
just not easy enough to place in libretti. It seems he has got his love and nurtured the characters as his own, as a father who lived and captured his work in frame as the intricacies of longing, surprise and joy. There will be a permanent museum and gallery, due to open in north London in 2014, for which we will have an entire archive of his celebrated work. / Image by Tom Candy /
/ Image by Quentin Blake / Email contact: winchester@wessexscene.co.uk
/// Sport / WS / 26
New Year, New Sport?
/ Richard Windsor /
///
Ah January. For most of us that means exams, for the rest of the country it means reluctantly heaving their Christmas chocolate riddled bodies back to the work place to earn their crust. By all accounts though, poor old January seems to be everyone’s least favourite month of the lot. Yet despite the rubbish weather and the work, January represents a new chance for many, a glimmer of hope that one day they might be fit again, or even just able to reach the top of the stairs without succumbing to cardiac arrest. Either way, its prime time for fad diets, gym memberships and sales of lycra shorts to people who just shouldn’t be allowed to wear them. Here at Wessex Scene, we take a look at some sports you may or may not have considered taking up in this New Year. Cycling: Want big thighs and big side burns? Well then this is the sport to choose my friends. As Sir Bradley Wiggins rides the wave of unprecedented popularity thrust upon him in 2012, cycling has never been more popular. You can go road, track, BMX , mountain, cyclocross, cycle speedway or with any of the other infinite methods of riding your bike; even riding to uni will do. Positives; you’ll get super-fit and have quads like Hercules if you can keep it up. Negatives; it’s very expensive to get all the gear and the bicycle tech talk takes a while to pick
up. You’ll also experience one of the most scarring and traumatising experiences in life; learning to use clipless pedals. You’ve been warned. Bowls: It’s not just a game for old people. No strain, no exhaustion; just the technical skill of a sunny day on the bowling green. What’s more, Southampton is the proud home of the world’s oldest bowling green, which dates back to circa 1299. So that’s something. Ski Jumping: You probably need to be pretty brave to get into this one, but the good news is you’ve only got to outdo Eddie the Eagle to be the best jumper we’ve ever had. So grab your skis, close your eyes and hope for the best. Darts: It’s a sport. We swear. Diving: It’s a sure fire way to be as popular as that Tom Daley character and have the abs of a human wash board. Bad news is you’ll have to wear those tiny trunks; not for the faint hearted.
Table football: It’s somewhere between playing FIFA and actual football. You don’t get the fitness you might playing the real game, but it gets you out of the house…to the pub. Shove Ha’penny: Unless you’re from pre-1970s Yorkshire, it’s unlikely you’ll be aware of the thrill-a-minute Northern pub game of Shove Ha’penny. Part of the shuffleboard family of games it pretty much involves turning up to the pub with some money and sliding it. You’ll have a hard time finding a pub round here with a playing board though. Pole Vaulting: How do you get involved? Not sure. Running and jumping with a really, really big pole seems like an unearthly, unnatural concept that is difficult to imagine anyone being enormously enthusiastic about. Master it though and you’ll look proper ‘ard. Sport is sponsored by
Email contact: / Image by Laura lake-Haeuser / sport@wessexscene.co.uk
27 / WS / Sport ///
Whole New University Sport
A mild January evening in South Florida, and around to watch a game of American football. This match is n however; this is the 2013 BCS National Championshi sion I FBS. Put simply, this is a college football game ence between British university sport
W
hile the students of the University of Alabama and the University of Notre Dame lined up for the biggest game of their lives so far on Monday 7th January in front of a multitude of people, in Britain our very own University of Southampton Football team would be happy with 20 or 30 people turning out to watch them in their fixture against Bournemouth University 3rd on the 23rd of the same month. But if football is undoubtedly Britain’s favourite sport, and American football is one of its country’s most popular pastimes, then why are there such wildly differing viewing attendances for university sport between the two countries? The evolution of the sports themselves and the values of each country have played a huge part in the differing development of university sport both here and in the U.S. Football and rugby themselves were developed in Britain, and the codification of both games occurred mainly on these small isles. While they were played up and down the country at schools, colleges, and universities, the British Empire and its
colonies were a perfect petridish in which to experiment and spread the sports far and wide. This globalisation led to international competitions, such as the first visits to the Southern Hemisphere, the precursor to rugby’s British and Irish Lions tours. As such, with regular international sport to watch, the viewing of university sport became increasingly marginalised. Conversely, sport in America is known to be extremely sequestered within its country’s borders. American football, basketball, baseball; when pushed to name other countries who compete with the U.S. in these sports, many people would not
be able to come up with a single example. In the ‘Big Three’, international participation is virtually non-existent, with only basketball at the Olympics being a notable exception. With this in mind, it is no wonder that there is more money to be spent on TV deals for college sports. For example, ESPN recently secured a deal worth $470 million a year for the rights to broadcast college football playoffs and other selected games for 12 years. The internationalism of Britain’s sports was not the only factor in its limited exposure of university games however. With football especially, the working
/ Image by Sasha Spaid /
w Ball Game Across the Pond
/ Sam Gayton /
d 70,000 people are packed into the Sun Life Stadium not contested between two of the NFL’s biggest teams ip Game to decide the winner of the 2012 NCAA Divie. Sam Gayton looks at why there is such a big differand its counterpart across the Atlantic. class roots of the game were also cause for the university game to be passed over in favour of the many amateur clubs that were formed in the wake of the formation of the Football Association in 1863. The people, it seems, would rather watch Newton Heath vs Nottingham Forest than a university fixture. As the years went on, amateur sports became professional, and by then the chance for scholarships and high-standard university leagues a la the U.S. had passed.
“With regular international sport to watch, the viewing of university sport became increasingly marginalised” A lesser-mentioned reason for the success of college sport in America is the age at which its participants are acquired to play professional sport. In Britain, at the highest level, be it the Premier League or the Aviva Premiership, clubs take on players from early ages as soon as they start to showcase their talent to the watching scouts. Indeed, Wayne Rooney made his full-debut for Everton at 16 years-old, and George Ford also debuted at the same age for
Leicester Tigers. Players scouted this way will continue their education at the club, and many will not go to university. In the U.S. however, it is extremely rare to see a person that young playing top level sport. In comparison to Rooney and Ford, Amobi Okoye was the youngest person ever to be included in an NFL draft. At 19 years old, he was three years older than his rugby and footballing counterparts. Additionally, before his inclusion in the 2007 draft, Okoye learnt his trade at the University of Louisville for three years. This trend continues with college basketball and baseball, so consequently, American college sport is of a higher level than its equal in Britain as the players that contest it are the best around within their age-bracket. Will we ever see the point where British university sport is watched on a wide-scale? It is extremely unlikely. As mentioned before, the quality of American college sport is far beyond that of ours in Britain because of the gap in the sporting market for it and the availability of quality players who
have served a long apprenticeship at top institutions. In Britain, our football, rugby, cricket and tennis needs are satisfied by international competition, and top-quality domestic competition which does not rely on a stream of athletes from universities. Without the sponsorship deals and TV rights that U.S. college sport receives, there is minimal chance that interest in British university sport will ever reach a higher level than it already achieves. So don’t be expecting to see Southampton-Portsmouth Varsity selling out Wembley in the near future Sport is sponsored by
Email contact: sport@wessexscene.co.uk
/ Thank you to Sam Bailey for doing such an excellent job with the Design in Sport. /
Exhibition starts 11am, Eastside building WSA Screening in Lecture Theatre B
/// Pause / WS / 30
IDL! L N I E I T T O SPOTTED: H
/ Sam Everard
/
Say what you like about the influx of ‘Spotted’ pages that have been surfaci ng at universities across the country, but they certainly seem to have captured people’s imagination. That said, none of the pages seem to focus on the dow ntrodden, the undesirable, the budget sho ppers. We’re here to change that. He re are some choice examples from the new est addition to the Spotted family:
ad in skinhe e l t t i l e ng ham fi f “To th u t s t s cksui rouser t the tra s i h own y’s slices d hinks nobod ing he t ometh when s w o ng g: I kn s stuffi lookin d e e n at side else th ou out y t e e ill m .” and w inutes m 5 1 n i
“To the ma n in short shorts buy ing Lidl ow nbrand saus ages, tissue s and Vaselin e: how abo ut you let me join you fo r that amazin g night you obviously h ave planne d?”
“There’s a grossly obese woman in aisle 3 in a miniskirt that barely covers anything, bright pink heels and leopard-print vest. She’s contemplating buying some lard. I’d do anything to get lost in those folds for a night.”
wom“There’s an elderly ng a an in aisle 5 weari ing to plastic bag and talk cide herself, trying to de rent between two diffe ice. brands of prune ju nd of There’s only one ki on juice you’ll need so ads of love, and I’ve got lo it back at my flat.”
“To the bo red lookin g cashier wit h fake tan and faker nails refusing to look anyone in the eye be cause you think y ou’re bette r than them : I know th ere’s love in tha t permane nt sneer and ridiculously tight ponyta il. Why wo n’t you let me find it?!”
/ Image by Amy Harwood /