WUWO Magazine Edition 19

The Enemy of Boredom

o N 19 ISSUE

FREE Every Month November – December 8th 2013 Edition wuwomagazine.com facebook.com/whatsupwhatson twitter.com/whatsupwhatson

GEORGE CLOONEY COMEDY GADGETS FASHION GAMING MUSIC SCIENCE

N O I T I T E P M O C

COMPETITION

WUWO’s Snowballing Bundle Competition This is your chance to win WUWO’s Snowballing Bundle. Each month we will be adding more prizes to our bundle, so that we can make a lucky reader’s Christmas that little bit more exciting. The winner will be picked and contacted on Christmas Eve.

A HBO fan’s dream! Every season of each of the below:

CROSTA & MOLLICA Italian Goody Bags www.crostamollica.com Waitrose – Tesco – Selfridges LIBERATION FOODS Fairtrade and farmer owned nuts www.chooseliberation.com Waitrose – Oxfam

The Eastpak Hutson – worth £80! www.eastpak.com Street Deluxe Wood cycle helmet – worth £49.99! www.lazersport.co.uk

A bottle of Beefeater 24

To enter, email competition@ wuwomagazine.com with “snowball” as the subject.

Entrants must be over 18

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WUWO Magazine Contributors WUWO Media

12 Nollywood

WUWO interviews Nigerian actor, director and commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo about the Nigerian film industry – Nollywood.

16 Parov Stelar

Since founding the genre and coining the term ‘electro-swing’ 10 years ago, Marcus Füreder has been mixing vintage samples with sharp electronic production as Parov Stelar. WUWO spoke with Marcus regarding his upcoming compilation ‘The Art of Sampling’.

22 George Clooney on ‘Gravity’

George Clooney wears many hats – actor, director, screenwriter, producer, political activist. But for most of his new movie ‘Gravity’ he wears a space helmet.

WUWO caught up with Clooney ahead of ‘the film’s UK launch to discuss space suits, astronaut training and his earlier life as a women’s shoe salesman.

28 An interview with Tom Stade

Canadian Comedian Tom Stade has graced Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Road Show and Channel Four’s Comedy Gala with his blunt and often ballsy humour. WUWO interrupted his tour to talk Groupon, his wife’s tolerance levels and heckling.

N O I T I T E COMP

WIN: WUWO Snowballing Competition (worth £500)

Our bundle just keeps getting bigger! 12 HBO complete box sets, 1 litre of gin, 1 litre of vodka, 1 hi-tech bike helmet, 1 Eastpak rucksack, Italian Goody Bags and a couple of bags of nuts. You’ve got to be in it to win it! More added next month!

Regulars 06 Top Picks

34 Science

08 Food

35 Game Play

20 Retronaut

36 Likes

26 Gadgets

37 Tech

32 Fashion

38 Books

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Editor in Chief Steven Godwin Editor Jack Courtez Copy Editor Lesley Boardman Design & Illustration Marian Hutchinson Danielle Howey Jamie Karr Writers Aleesha Sharma Alex Chiejina Arden Bronstein Clinton Nguyen Emma Goodwin Jenny Davis Josie Adnitt Lloyd Paige Matt Berg Matthew Cook Sam Fresco Sara Hoque Sonal Khandelwal Tessa Hearle To get in contact about editorial requests: content@wuwomagazine.com Advertising requests: advertising@wuwomagazine.com

WUWO Magazine is published monthly by WUWO Media.

We try and make sure all our information is correct but details may be subject to change. Any physical submissions are sent at the owners risk and we will accept no responsibility for loss or damage. Nothing printed in WUWO Magazine can be copied or republished without our written permission.

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06

TOP PICKS

Top Picks Hand-picked, intriguing happenings, venues, clubs, shops and more from London and beyond.

Dub Pistols

This Is How We Die + Now Listen to Me Very Carefully

Jazz Café 5 Parkway, London NW1 7PG 14 November, £12.50

Oval House, 52-54 Kennington Oval London SE11 5SW 13 Nov – 16 November, 8:00pm, £10

Their ska-hip-hop anthems hit the spotlight shortly after this collective’s first release in 1998 – Point Blank.

“Cyclone” went on to feature on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Two, a gaming soundtrack that served as a generation’s informal introduction to music.

17 years later they’ve got a big band, big beat sound, blaring internationally with a solid release history which sets them apart from mere nostalgia acts.

Their live set frequently includes special guests such as Specials front man Terry Hall and a couple of classic covers.

This is How We Die is a tale of paranoia and ultraviolence, a cartoon romance and a midnight movie for the mind’s eye. It is a motor-mouthed solo performance and a blood-soaked love letter to the depraved, the depressed and the death-obsessed.

Now Listen to Me Very Carefully is the story of Terminator 2 with a little help from the audience and his compulsive and most likely harmful 220 viewings of the movie.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

The Heart of Gaming

Hyde Park, London 22 November – 5 January, Free

Unit 10A Cullen Way, London, NW10 6JZ Tue – Thu: 16:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat: 12:00 – 00:00, Sun: 12:00 – 22:00, £5- £10

For most people, Christmas shopping in central London is a nightmare with tinsel. Overcrowded shops and Wizzard’s ‘I wish it could be Christmas’ make many people jealous of mammals that can hibernate. If you are one of the above, this isn’t for you.

This is for those that embrace both shopping and chaos with open arms (loaded with carrier bags).

This event combines a huge market with shows, rides and an ice rink. While main entry is free, expect queues and additional charges for attractions. wuwomagazine.com

This is the best and most fairly priced money arcade in London. Simply pay your entry, stay as long as you like and explore the daunting range of retro and current gaming on offer with no additional charge. Upon entering the warehouse it’s instantly obvious this is a passion as well as a business for the owners.

Everybody in London with a passion for video games should visit this place at least once.

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TOP PICKS

Collider: Large Hadron Collider Exhibition

The Barry Humphries’ Farewell Tour

Science Museum, Exhibition Road South Kensington, London SW7 2DD 13 November – 30 April, 10:00-18:00 £7-£10

The London Palladium, 8 Argyll Street London W1F 7TF 13 November – 5 January, £26-£71

The new Large Hadron Collider exhibition at the Science Museum transports visitors into one of the greatest scientific experiments of our time. Collider will be offering visitors the closest experience possible to visiting the famous site itself, through a behind-thescenes look at the renowned CERN particle physics laboratory. The exhibition will merge theatre, video and sound art; visitors will be able to meet ‘virtual’ scientists and engineers from CERN as well as enjoying exclusive access to real LHC components.

Legendary entertainer Barry Humphries, whose creations include iconic Australian housewife Dame Edna Everage and outrageous Sir Les Patterson, takes his final bow across the UK in a highly acclaimed and dazzling farewell tour ‘Eat, Pray, Laugh!’

Act one will feature the brilliant Sandy Stone, perhaps Humphries’ greatest creation. Dame Edna will then empower the audience with her meditation on loss, gender, climate change and gay marriage. Grab a ticket now for your last chance to see one of the longest standing and most well known comedians of the last 50 years

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2013 National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE 14 November – 9 February, £3+ The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize is a unique opportunity to see 60 new portraits from some of the most exciting and contemporary photographers from around the world. The 60 photographs in the exhibition were selected anonymously from an open competition.

This year the competition attracted 5,410 submissions by 2,435 photographers, ranging from talented amateurs to established professionals. The selected works in the exhibition, many of which will be displayed for the very first time, include four past prize winners as well as the winner of the John Kobal New York Award.

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FOOD AND DRINK

Food and Drink Meat munching, street snacking and cocktail concocting content created to provide palates with delectable dishes.

It is near impossible to choose the best street food and drink in London as we are entirely spoilt for choice! The street markets, stalls, trucks, and trailers offer the best of British and global cuisine.

Good and Proper Tea Co. We love a proppa’ cuppa so we had to choose ‘Good and Proper Tea’ as one of our top street drink providers.

Having worked with experts in the industry, G & P Tea only buys and serves quality tea and is always looking for teas with distinctive character. The tea is brewed to perfection in a newly-fitted 1974 Citroën-H van. The Brew Bar moves around but can be found most of the time at Kings Cross during the week and Brockley Market at weekends. As an extra treat you can also grab a croissant or warm crumpet here. Not only does G & P Tea serve up the best teas on the streets but you can also enjoy them in the comfort of your own home as they are available to order from the G & P website. www. goodandpropertea.com

Lucky Chip You really are lucky if you come across ‘Lucky Chip’ street food burger van at Netil Market. Lucky Chip serves burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, and hand-cut fries which you can sit and enjoy on their outdoor wooden seating.

This isn’t a fast food place, far from it; you will be watering at the mouth watching them rustle up delicious burgers which you will want to take your time to enjoy. The menu is ever changing, keeping things fresh, new, and exciting. If you want a guaranteed burger banquet Lucky Chip has taken up a permanent residency at The Sebright Arms in Hackney where you will find a slightly more extensive menu with specials and DJ entertainment. www.luckychipuk.com wuwomagazine.com

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FOOD AND DRINK 09

Turn to our Snowballing Bundle Competition (page two) for a chance to win a bottle of Beefeater 24 and lots more...

Cocktail of the Month: Silver Phantom Cocktail The minimalistic and futuristic looking Silver Phantom cocktail by world leading mixologist Tony Conigliaro is a true contender for cocktail of the future not least because of what happens to the liquid in the glass – make sure you look closely!

“It is not about clustering lots of different flavours, but more about quality and sophistication, and new ways of creating taste experiences. A cocktail should be a little story in glass, with its own real sense of narrative.” – Tony Conigliaro wuwomagazine.com

Ingredients (serves one) ● 40ml Beefeater 24 ● 15ml Nano silver Vichy water ● 15ml Nano silver Dry Vermouth Method ● Combine ingredients in a cocktail tin over ice, double strain into a chilled coupette

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ART EXPLORER

Art Explorer Tyler Shields, renowned Hollywood photographer presents ‘Submerged’, a unique underwater series exhibited at Imitate Modern.

The unique theme was chosen by Shields as a way to push his artistic boundaries. The underwater series took six months to complete, with the sub aqua locations ranging from bathtubs to Grand Canyon lakes. Models were required to hold their breath for long periods of time underwater in order to create the other worldly images. www.imitatemodern.com

Amphitrite

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ART EXPLORER

Hearst Khaos

Underwater Kiss

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24

COMEDY

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NOLLYWOOD 13

We know of Hollywood and Bollywood, but what about Nollywood? Nigeria’s filmmaking industry and apparent member of the ‘–wood’ family stands as the second largest producing industry in the world by volume, churning over 1,000 films annually, with an average movie budget ranging from £15,000 to £30,000.

The industry is known for deep cultural morality tales that blossom alongside a witty and often hysterical humour, allowing it to gather a cult following around the world. Western actors such as Thandie Newton (Run Fatboy Run, Crash) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Children of Men, The Inside Man) are entering the industry too, through Half of a Yellow Sun which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

We spoke to Nigerian actor, director and commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Richard Mofe-Damijo (Diamond Ring, Ayomida) popularly known as RMD to discuss Nollywood and its growing impact on the world of moviemaking.

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NOLLYWOOD

You studied theatre arts at the University of Benin before getting into acting in 1983 in the soap opera Ripples, what changes have you experienced in Nigerian cinema since then?

In the early days of Nollywood we concentrated more on stories that had a lot of morality tales as it were.

They were dramatic films; films that our people could relate to easily. We were coming from a tradition of telemovies, so most of the movies made in the early days I participated in, were films that fed from the tradition of made-for-TV movies through the NTA, Nigerian Television Authority.

But over the years it has evolved, there have been more adventurous directors and producers, the films are getting bolder. There is a deliberate movement now to do a lot of collaboration with other cinema making cultures. For example, we have done films with Bollywood directors and of course there are mixed productions now between Nigerian actors and North American actors.

That’s where we are now. We are in an era where we are seeking more collaboration with movie makers from other cultures.

A lot of the serious filmmakers, the ones we can call independent, are now producing movies not for direct release to video anymore, but for the cinemagoers. In itself it is an improvement and in turn it has improved digital technology, sound quality, the settings and the quality of acting itself.

So Nollywood’s position is now influenced by cultural collaboration?

Yes. That was inevitable. First the industry is being discovered by foreigners, and then after you become noticed for your sheer volume, people are beginning to look at the films more critically and filmmakers are beginning to take themselves more seriously. So naturally the quality has improved in a lot of ways.

How can the Nigerian government support Nollywood?

From the federal government there have been funds

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specified for different areas to develop the movie industry. Recently there are talks of $300 billion for the expansion of the movie industry. People are interested in infrastructure – the building of cinemas, setting up of training academies and outside productions have been encouraged to get this funding.

The state governments like my state, Delta, created the office that is occupied by the same commissioner for Culture and Tourism. It was a completely novel creation which I was the special advisor for and most of the policies are very liberal towards the development of new young talent, especially in the areas of comedy, dance, music and of course acting. We’ve been able to do a lot of talent shows.

A few governments have employed practitioners in their cabinet; this has also affected their policies on entertainment and the movie industry.

Your career goes from acting to law and now politics as a commissioner; would you say practicing arts has had a major influence on your policies?

I haven’t worked to be noticed within the political sector, I guess maybe it was easiest for my government to headhunt me to see how I can introduce some of the things I did as a private citizen.

It is the government which led to my building up of the talent shows which have discovered a few people in different genres of the arts.

Nollywood has become a household name on the African continent, motivating countries such as Ghana and Liberia to create their own industries, Ghallywood and Lolliwood. How did this happen?

I think it’s the fact that we broke down the means of movie making from something that is high-tech and reduced it to – for lack of a better word – table-top technology. Before Nollywood movie making was seen as something that had to be on film, but when Nollywood came on board we worked mainly on video and reduced the budget for a physical film from millions to next to nothing.

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NOLLYWOOD 15

INDOOR CINEMAS PER 1,000,000 PEOPLE

USA 20.6

UK UK .4 13.4 13

FILMS PRODUCED PER YEAR IN 2006

BOLLYWOOD: 1,091 NOLLYWOOD: 872 HOLLYWOOD: 485 UK: 104 The convenience of video production and telling Nigerian stories caught on very fast. Don’t forget I said we come from a tradition of tele-movies and once we shifted from that tradition to movies that were made directly to video and sold to people, it caught on; that is the tradition that Bollywood and Hollywood didn’t have.

Other film hubs first made movies that went straight to the cinemas; they had to shoot most of their movies with 35mm or 16mm film, which makes the process very long. You have to shoot, then go to the lab, develop pictures and all of that. Whereas with video everything

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NIGERIA 0.04

INDIA 0.00001

is sorted out from sound to pictures, edit with nonlinear techniques and your movie is ready instantly.

That was what Nollywood brought to the table. We brought speed, zero-budgeting and of course Nigerian stories told by Nigerians the best way they could, instead of working on a model that was far removed.

There was no disconnection between the filmmaker and his immediate environment. That was what was responsible for the phenomenal rise of Nollywood movies, which is absent in most of the bigger cinema nations.

So Nollywood helped democratise filmmaking, but could quantity be replacing quality and originality?

This fact has to be stressed here, Hollywood and Bollywood spend longer producing movies but this doesn’t mean they don’t produce low quality movies, so everything comes with the A-class, the B-class and the C-class.

30-40 students go off to Cambridge or Harvard and not all will come out top, some will still come out at the bottom. It’s the same thing with any creative individual and for me that is not a major drawback.

Volume doesn’t necessarily mean low quality, neither does a few mean high quality; the political nature of Nollywood is a ‘style’ in itself of filmmaking that does not have to conform to your set standards or definition of what the movie should be. I think it is a tradition of filmmaking that does not conform with the Western concepts of what a movie is.

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MUSIC

Parov Stelar Since founding the genre and coining the term ‘electro-swing’ 10 years ago, Marcus Füreder has been pumping out a spectrum of EP’s as Parov Stelar, mixing smooth vintage samples with his unique style of electronic production.

Much like Parov Stelar’s style, the recently released ‘The Art of Sampling’ brings together old and new tracks in a double disc retrospective containing a nod to the future as well.

WUWO interrupted Marcus’s downtime in his native Austria between tours to talk vinyl, Marvin Gaye and pre-show rituals.

Where do your influences come from?

My influences are widespread so it’s not just from the dance side. I love pop music as well as everything from Coltrane to minimal techno.

Why did you choose to work with and reimagine Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got to give it up’? What made you choose that track in particular?

I started working on that track around a year and a half ago, before the Robin Thicke or Daft Punk versions. I’m a fan of Marvin Gaye and what he did in his era; he is the king of Motown for me.

I got the a cappella version of Got to Give it Up and had the chance to work with it. If you get that chance you don’t ask why that song, it was just a chance to work with Marvin Gaye.

Do you get many comments from fans of original swing music without the electronic element?

Well, I would say we have many jazz fans of course but also some younger fans that are not into jazz. It’s about bringing two universes together; on one hand you have the modern beats and equipment and on the other you have vintage jazz or soul influences. We get comments from people who are about 80 and others who are only 12.

In an interview around 10 years ago you coined the term electro-swing, but have since avoided the term. Does it make you more cautious or even nervous when describing your work now?

I’m not a big fan of describing my music because

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music is the description. When I start describing I’m just describing a description, because sometimes in a studio you can create something which doesn’t have a word for it. It is a new way to express something without words so how do you describe that?

But I’m not nervous about that; okay we founded a new genre but at the moment there are too many people doing stuff in this direction.

Is that why ‘The Art of Sampling’ is such a varied record?

The Art of Sampling for me is a showcase, it’s a collection, to stand still, relax and look at what we’ve done. You will find some records on it which are important to me and it’s not necessarily the most commercial ones.

How do you choose which advertisers or products to allow use of your music?

It’s not so much the product it’s more about the video clip; is it cool or not cool? We have a big team so I can’t see everything but I try. I try to make a decision as to whether we have anything in common.

You’re a self-confessed vinyl lover; what’s your favourite find?

I love Heartbreak Records in Berlin but I’m not sure if they still exist as when I first started DJ’ing it was 15-20 years ago and the only way to play was vinyl.

Unfortunately that age is over, but what I do see at the moment is a lot of young people buying vinyl. I’m not sure whether they’re DJ’ing with

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MUSIC 17

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MUSIC

it or if they are just buying a piece of culture. I think vinyl is getting a new spring.

Is there a live moment that stands out for you?

It depends, at the moment I like the last song of our show, ‘All Night’. I have an extended version so people think the track is over but it comes in again. I wait the whole show for that moment as it’s my favourite track right now, but it changes, it changes a lot.

The Parov Stelar band at live performances, really bring energy out of the crowd, how did you all come together?

It’s a long story; members came in, others left but I’ve worked with Max the Sax for 10 years and he knows who’s hot or not. He’s the man who’s responsible for the musicians who came in, now we’re touring with exactly the right people I wanted in the band.

When you put a track together, how do you mix the warmth of the vintage magnetic tape recordings you’re sampling with modern production techniques?

It’s difficult to say, I love the character of old records and there’s no filter or plug-in which can produce that sound. That’s why I work with the original samples but a modern, clean kick drum or synth sound is very sexy, so I like to use both.

You said previously that it is hard to become wellknown in Austria as an Austrian, yet outside of Austria you are the most well-known Austrian musician. How does that come about?

I’m not sure if this is just a problem in Austria, it’s always more glamorous when someone from abroad comes to play in your town because you think “that must be something special”. This isn’t a disadvantage for me; it means I have to work harder. 100% isn’t enough; it has to be 120%.

How does it feel to be home again?

It’s wonderful, I have a 14 month old son and I always really look forward to coming home to my wife and family who are waiting for me. We’ve chosen to live in the countryside rather than a city or a town because it isn’t a normal life when you’re on tour; everything is strange, so I think it’s important for every musician to have a home.

Do you have any pre/post-show rituals?

Not really; we have a group hug like football players.

The team are 100% energy; the show itself is the ritual.

The Art of Sampling has leaked online as do most releases now, what do you think of this trend?

It’s a pity but what can we do? We can explain to people that music needs respect whereas this act is completely respectless. I can’t follow the leaker’s thoughts or reason, it’s dangerous and it can destroy a record as there’s no surprise. wuwomagazine.com

An Interview with

The STAVES British acoustic folk rock sisters The Staves have come a long way since their first EP in 2010 and their humble Watford roots. Having performed onstage with Mumford and Sons at this years’ Glastonbury, been featured on Tom Jones’ album Praise and Blame and only releasing their debut album Dead & Born & Grown in November 2012, they’re set for success.

We spoke to Emily Staveley-Taylor about their experiences as a group.

In three years and one debut album, you’ve made it at Wembley Arena, the States, and toured with acclaimed artists. Did you expect this at all when you started out?

Not at all! The wonderful thing about this is you’re just sitting at home one day and then the phone rings, it’s Tom Jones and suddenly everything’s upside down.

This Month in History 1923 Patent: The Electric Razor

It was in November of 1923 that inventor Colonel Jacob Schick invented the electric razor. The invention has since gone on to make male facial hygiene and inter-gender grooming much easier.

By removing the need for water, soap and/or shaving foam, the electric razor has revolutionised the nature of the shave, making it a much faster process. The influence the electric razor has had on the world is enormous; just think would we have the electric toothbrush if it were not for the electric razor?

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17 WUWO MUSIC 19

What/who inspired your sound?

The music that we loved listening to growing up was our parents’ music, so bands like The Beatles, 60s and 70s bands, Motown… we’re just emulating the bands we love.

When did it hit you that you were no longer just playing small local gigs?

It hasn’t! We started off playing open mics at ‘The

1942 Birth: Jimi Hendrix

Born on the 27th November 1942 in the city of Seattle, Johnny Allen Hendrix was born. It was 15 years before he got his first guitar and began to teach himself how to play, through listening to the music of the blues artists he admired. He would later go on to make music history, before dying of a drug-related death in 1970 and will forever be remembered as one of the, if not the, greatest guitarists of all time. It is interesting to note that he was actually fired from the first band he gigged with (after the first gig) for showing off too much. I bet they’re kicking themselves now...

1989

Important Event: The fall of the Berlin Wall

In 1989, after a series of peaceful democratic protests as well as the escape of 13,000, the ball was set in motion for the collapse of communism wuwomagazine.com

Horns’ in Watford and playing pubs in London, but I think our success has happened slowly; our first gig was nearly nine years ago.

Where would you like to play again?

We were lucky enough to play at Red Rocks in Colorado when we opened for Feist and Bon Iver; it looked like something from The Flintstones, it felt almost prehistoric and ‘The Horns’ in Watford again, because it was our beginning. in East Germany. Erich Honecker, the leader of East Germany was eventually forced to resign in the October of that year and on November 9th the borders of East Germany were opened. East Germans flooded out of their country to be greeted with open arms by the West Germans, who came prepared with champagne and flowers. That was the night that the Berlin Wall fell and reunification between East and West began.

1922

Media Release: This is 2LO

“This is 2LO, the London station of the British Broadcasting Company calling. This is 2LO calling”.

Perhaps the biggest media release this country has ever seen was the release of modern media itself.

This came with Britain’s first ever radio broadcast and the first broadcast of the BBC on the 14th of November 1922, when programme director Arthur Burrows announced to the nation “This is 2LO” (the radio station at Marconi House, London). 91 years have passed since and the BBC remains as a behemoth of British broadcasting.

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RETRONAUT

Retronaut

The Golden Age of Jazz November sees the 21st London Jazz Festival take place in a city-wide, 10-day musical extravaganza. Running from the 15th to the 24th November, musicians will come together to revel in all things jazz. In honour of the festival and the iconic musical genre it celebrates, Retronaut rewinds to the 1940’s and explores the musicians, singers and clubs during the ‘Golden Age’ of American jazz.

William Gottlieb, a celebrated jazz photographer, spent the 1930’s and 1940’s capturing the iconic musical era.

Gottlieb chronicled the prominent jazz musicians and singers in clubs and music venues from Washington to New York.

Originally writing a jazz column for The Washington Post and taking the accompanying photographs, Gottlieb amassed a valuable library of images that are now used on album covers, t-shirts and posters.

By 1948, Gottlieb’s photographical repertoire was comprised of hundreds of portraits, including photographs of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald.

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RETRONAUT

Jazz musicians play in front of the bear enclosure at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. during the 1920’s.

A cat enjoys the music at a jazz club in the 1940’s.

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CELEBRITY

GEORGE Mini Hedline CLOONEY

Sam Wills began performing at the age of 13 as an apprentice clown in New Zealand.

21 years later, his prop based comedy show ‘The Boy With Tape On His Face’ is one George Clooney many hats – actor, director, screenwriter, producer, of the most highlywears anticipated acts at the Edinburgh Fringe. WUWO peeledpolitical back the activist. But for most of his tape new to movie talk ‘Gravity’ comedy. he wears a space helmet.

The Hollywood actor stars alongside Sandra Bullock in the film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, which sees Clooney and Bullock as a pair of astronauts who embark on a space mission that goes disastrously wrong.

‘Gravity’ is the first film from Alfonso Cuarón since the critically acclaimed ‘Children Of Men’ in 2006 and he co-wrote it alongside his son Jonás.

George Clooney talks to WUWO about space suits, astronaut training and his earlier life as a women’s shoe salesman.

What drew you in to “Gravity”?

The first reason that you ever want to make a film, if you’re an actor is that the script is very good and the director is very good. I loved the screenplay and it also happens to have been written by Alfonso Cuaron and his son. And I think that Alfonso is one of the most interesting and I think he is one of the most talented directors in the game.

really happy to be able to be in support of her. And working with her was just fun. It was truly a lot of laughing, which is always helpful in those situations because physically it is really uncomfortable, just wearing the suit was uncomfortable. It really helps being able to laugh in between those 45 minutes when they’re setting up the next shot.

What’s “Gravity” about?

This is a movie about trying to come to terms with your own death, or your own life. And it’s much more internalised than you would think, than people would think a space film would be. And I love it because of that. I think it’s just an elegant piece.

Sandy and I did a lot of BikramYoga together.

What do you hope audiences will take home from Gravity?

This is a grown up film for grown-ups about a lot of subject matters by an exquisite filmmaker with a wonderful actress at its helm. When people see the film they will understand that there is technology and cinematography in this that will change the game forever. It’s that good.

Did you enjoy working with Sandra Bullock?

I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to work with. This is her film, she has to carry it all. So I was

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How did you train for this film?

It looks like a really difficult movie to make as an actor, what was the most challenging aspect?

It’s incredibly technical, any changing of dialogue from what had been practised months earlier, unravels an entire preconceived shot. So everything had to be sort of technically accurate and you had to find a way to make that real. It was fun because Sandy and I have been friends for a long time but the task of moving slowly and speaking quickly is not as easy as one would think. Sandy had to do it four times longer than I did and it was a marathon for her.

I mean a lot of times you’re not even saying a full line, you’re saying parts of a line.

Is it tough to act in a space suit?

You’re supposed to be weightless so they have this machine that is flipping you on your stomach and it’s hard to speak.

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CELEBRITY 23

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CELEBRITY 00

CELEBRITY

>

While at a friend’s house Clooney replaced the cat litter tray three days in a row, causing his friend to think his cat had a bowel problem. On the fourth day Clooney left a giant “gift” in the cat litter tray, further confusing his friend.

> Clooney’s first role was as an extra in the TV series Centennial in 1978. > His breakthrough was playing Dr Doug Ross in ER from 1994 to 1999. > George Clooney owns a satelite which he uses to spy on Sudan/South Sudan relations to deter government misconduct. > People magazine twice voted him the “sexiest man alive” > Clooney’s pet pig “Max” saved his life by waking him up before an earthquake.

CREDITS: Actor: 60 | Director: 6 | Producer: 28 | Writer: 4 wuwomagazine.com

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CELEBRITY

Did the film ever leave you pondering whether we are alone in the universe?

Haha! No, because there are 500 crew members standing around.

As a director yourself, how did you find working with Alfonso?

If you understand film-making you’ll understand his idea, the kind of lenses that he uses – big, wide-angle lenses so that everything is in focus. And he’s famous for these long takes which he still does.

What are you like as a director?

I don’t want to blow anybody’s mind but I’m pretty much the same guy as George Clooney the actor. The same height, same hair - pretty much the same.

I’m lucky enough to work with a great bunch of actors who elevate the project, so that’s the secret to directing, I think, working with very good people.

How’s that for a political answer, huh?

You faced a lot of rejection as an actor when you were younger, is it a tough life?

I cut tobacco for a living, that was hard. I sold insurance door to door, that was hard. Acting is not wuwomagazine.com

21 25

hard work. It’s long hours, I find it challenging and sometimes I’m bad at it. But I don’t find it hard. I grew up doing some really crappy jobs over the years. I sold ladies’ shoes – that’s a tough job. I know it doesn’t sound tough but women are crazy with their feet.

Did you always want to be an actor?

No, I wanted to be a professional baseball star. But I lacked the skills.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

Hang out and play basketball, drink beer and watch sports.

How do you handle your success?

I got a great advantage because my aunt Rosemary was very successful at a very young age in the ‘50s, and she didn’t handle it well. I got a good lesson in the idea that all of this is fleeting.

Anyone who thinks that success is a permanent state, particularly in my line of work, is just an idiot.

I know what the journey is, and I want to try and enjoy it while I can.

Gravity’s UK release takes place on November 8 at most cinemas.

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26

GADGETS

Gadgets Some gadgets will save you time, bring you amusement or make life easier, others will do the opposite. Each month WUWO separates the two and brings you practical, fun and occasionally absurd gadgets.

3

1

2 1. Air Mail Catapult £5.95

2. RC Floor Mop £14.95

3. Remote Pillow £24.99

Work can get pretty hectic at times and when you have to give someone a message nothing seems like more of a hassle than having to stand up, walk over to them and tell them what they need to know. I guess you could email them or shout really loud, but why bother when you have the Air Mail Catapult? Simply screw up the message and launch it at your colleagues. You’ll soon learn that sending an email is no way near as satisfying as hitting Jeff from accounting between the eyes with an important memo.

Cleaning has never been the most fun of activities and the majority of people will put off doing it for as long as possible. But now, with the help of the RC Handy Mop, cleaning will no longer seem like such a chore. Ideal for slothful spring cleaners, this remotecontrolled mop turns sweeping into sport. Race your mates, see who the briskest brusher is and who’s the best duster driver; couch side cleaning has never been easier.

There’s nothing more annoying than losing your TV remote down the side of the couch and then having to pull out all the cushions just to get it back. That’s where the Remote Pillow comes into play. Instead of slipping down the side of the sofa, this nifty device sits securely on top of it. It works for most TVs, DVD players and satellite boxes and is considerably more comfortable to lie on than the normal TV remote.

www.gadgets.co.uk

www.red5.co.uk

www.monsterstuff.co.uk

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GADGETS

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4. Moustache Pacifier £5.95

5. ION iLP Vinyl ERecord Converter £99.99

6. LifeSpan TR1200-DT5 Treadmill Desk £1499.99

Are you tired of being a baby and strangers not knowing your sex? For some reason they never seem to realise that blue means boy and pink means girl.

Well for any new born men out there, the Moustache Pacifier will put an end to all these awkward encounters. No more “oh what a beautiful little girl” type comments as your glorious ‘stache will do the talking for you.

Particularly convenient seeing as at this point in your life you probably can’t talk for yourself.

If you’re old enough to know what an LP is then you probably have a stash of them sitting in a cupboard somewhere, going unheard and gathering dust. Well it’s time to brush them off and let the music sound out one more time.

With the ION ILP Vinyl Record Converter, you can digitise all that music straight to your computers and iPods or simply hook it up to some speakers and listen to the music out loud.

With a busy work schedule it can be hard sometimes to get the exercise you want but, if you don’t mind getting your suit sweaty, the LifeSpan TR1200DT5 Treadmill Desk can solve your troubles. With a height adjustable desk and a treadmill unit engineered specifically for office exercise, this becomes the perfect tool for walking away your weight issues while hard at work. Every purchase comes with a one year LifeSpan Fitness Club membership and access to your own online personal trainer.

www.play.com

www.menkind.co.uk

www.gymworld.co.uk

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28

COMEDY

An INTERVIEW with

TOM STADE Canadian Comedian Tom Stade is currently rocking some of the biggest venues across the UK with his latest show ‘Tom Stade Totally Rocks!’ With his brilliantly mischievous and charming style, he’s wooing audiences on stage and screen.

WUWO caught up with Tom to talk Groupon, his wife, heckling and his favourite comedians.

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WUWO COMEDY

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COMEDY 31 ‘Tom Stade Totally Rocks’ is the title of the current tour which suits your rock ‘n’ roll style. How is it going so far?

So far I’m getting more and more rock n roll as this tour goes on. I’m rock n roll enough but there’s always a little more to go.

You have mentioned before your addiction to weed, whiskey and Groupon; would you like a world where you could buy your weed and whiskey on Groupon?

I think we would all be in a better place! It would be weird watching how many people bought it….like ‘42,000 people purchased this deal’ (laughs) Does your addictive personality get you into trouble?

I always head towards trouble! Trouble is where the fun is.

You arrived in the UK about ten years ago and I believe you now live in Edinburgh. What have been your best/worst audiences?

The best ones were the ones that loved me! The worst ones were the ones that didn’t.

Do you have a routine that helps you cope when you are away from home?

Yes, I listen to a lot of Wayne Dyer and meditate. I like to get in the zone and it reminds me why I’m out here.

You talk about your wife a fair amount. She must have limits; is there anything you think you could say that would make her leave?

I haven’t quite reached the limits yet…I’m still trying; I will see how far I can take it before she shouts “enough is enough Tom, enough of our family thinks we are crazy.”

You like to tackle a huge range of topics from familiar things like marriage, kids and friends to the unfamiliar – politics, war zones etc; where do you get your inspiration from, how do you know what is okay to say?

I pretty much go by one of my dad’s sayings: “There’s no bad ideas, just bad times to tell them” and unfortunately on a comedy stage you can say anything you like! (Laughs) but some things I say on stage, I wouldn’t say in front of my mum at Christmas dinner...

Being a famous comedian you have a big platform to express yourself and your views –you can use your powers for good and evil so to speak. Do you enjoy the interplay between the two?

I don’t ever think I’m using my powers for evil! I think if I was, I would be making a lot more money.

The Herald gave you a five star review and described you as part Jesus, part Charlie Manson. Which do you think you are closer to?

JESUS! wuwomagazine.com

You have been lauded for interaction with the audience. What’s the best/worst heckle you have received?

The worst heckle I’ve ever had is indifference... because if you give me something I can use it, but if you just don’t care it totally bugs me!

You have performed at many festivals particularly the Edinburgh Fringe; there must be a lot of pressure to impress. Which comedians impress/inspire you?

Hmmmm, I would say the one that inspires me the most is Richard Pryer. I love the way whether he is just saying something off the top of his head or not, I love the way that whatever he says always sounds like it’s just off the top of his head. It doesn’t ever sound like a monologue.

Who are your favourite up and coming comedians 2013?

Yeah, I’ve got a couple man. I’ve always loved John Lynn. He’s an up-and-comer, there’s Johnny Scott and Daniel Sloss. Yeah, those guys are the ones I like, the ones that slip just outside the mainstream.

In Canada you have appeared in the sitcom ‘The Newsroom’ and the feature film ‘My Own Private Oshawa’; these must be great experiences. Do you prefer performing live or on TV? I always love live because it becomes a shared experience, whereas on TV it’s just a past moment.

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32

FASHION

Next e e Reind £32 .n www

Fashion

WUWO's fashion section seeks out the best, the boldest and the freshest in fashion, presented in digestible chunks alongside exclusive item giveaways.

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PRIMARK en LE Studded Tote Bag £20 www.primark.com

YUMI Zip It! Biker Jacket £75 www.yumidirect.co.uk

Yumi Zip It! Biker Jacket £75 www.yumidirect.co.uk

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MONSOON Alessia Snowflake Jumper

Monsoon wflake Jumper £49 Sno Alessia .co.uk £49 monsoon www.uk.monsoon.co.uk www.uk.

ASOS Forest Print Skinny Trouser £40 asos.com wuwomagazine.com

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Jacomo Rock and Revival Crewneck £40 www.jacamo.co.uk

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NEXT Reindeer Jumper £32 www.next.co.uk

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Puffa x H Jonfield arris Twee d £199.9 Jacket 9 www.p uffa.co

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Pug T Primark £4 Pug T £4 www.primark.com www.primark.com

FESTIVE FUN

JACOMO Rock and Revival Crewneck £40 www.jacamo.co.uk

PUFFA X HARRIS TWEED Jonfield Jacket £199.99 www.puffa.com

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For a chance to win this Eastpak Hutson back pack – worth £80 – and much more, turn to our Snowballing Bundle Competition (page two)

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34 SCIENCE

Your mother’s mother’s tongue Many of us take the language of our mother tongue for granted. We use it all the time, but often we don’t stop to think about where it has come from. English is English, Spanish is Spanish, French is French and so on. But with nearly 7,000 languages spoken around the world, it might be surprising to hear that some seemingly distant-sounding languages actually share the same ancestry.

English is related to loads of other languages that would rarely even cross your mind Languages can be organised into family trees, much like people. Picture your family tree; members of the same family begin with a common ancestor, in this case the parent or proto-language. Genetically related languages, called daughter languages, branch off from this parent language. These daughter languages then branch off into more genetically related languages and a language family is born. Over time, through evolution the language family spreads and spreads.

Let’s rewind and look at the ancestry of English. Back in the day, around 4,500 to 2,500 B.C., a language called Proto-Indo-European was spoken across Europe and Asia (think of it as the great-great-greatgrandmother of modern English). After several generations of daughter languages (great-great- and great-grandmothers), Anglo-Saxon was born. Over time, Anglo-Saxon evolved from the grandmother of the family to become the baby of the family, modern English.

So, technically, English is related to loads of other languages that would rarely even cross your mind.

The branch of the family tree that English lies in, not only contains some other obviously related European languages like German and Spanish, but also languages like Yiddish, Icelandic and Faroese (say, cousins of English). While they might sound nothing alike now, these languages all descend from Germanic ancestry. If we look even further back, to the daughter languages of Proto-Indo-European, English is also wuwomagazine.com

related to languages including Sanskrit, Punjabi and Persian (albeit in a distant, great-uncle’s second-cousinonce-removed sort of way). In fact, it’s estimated that the Indo-European family tree contains 439 languages.

That’s 438 other languages that are in some way, whether closely or remotely, related to the language that we use every day.

Just to prove this point, the table below shows versions of the same word, ‘night’, for a variety of different IndoEuropean languages, that all descend from the ProtoIndo-European word ‘nókts’.

ENGLISH

night

FRENCH

nuit

GERMAN

nacht

DUTCH

nacht

FAROESE

nátt

ICELANDIC

nótt

SANSKRIT

nakt

MACEDONIAN

noć

So next time you meet a speaker of Elfdalian, Chittagonian or Kashubian and think your lives are worlds apart, just remember you have more in common that you think!

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GAME PLAY

Gameplay Here’s our monthly gaming top picks for all your black mirrors.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag (360/Xbox One/ PS3/PS4/Wii U/PC)– 1 November This part-pirate, part-colonial action adventure adds some new nautical features to a previously land-loving series.

Described as being a 60-40 split between land and sea action respectively, your character (an English privateer turned pirate/assassin) controls a warship which you can use to do everything from whaling to full-on battles.

Like other instalments of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, the story is split between the present and the past with each part influencing the other. Black Flag promises a more open map experience with more varied activities and geography than before.

Tearaway (Playstation Vita) From the makers of Little Big Planet, this adventure game features all the quirkiness you’d expect from the Media Molecule designers. The game takes you through a vibrant papery world with your new friend iota, a plucky messenger with a unique message to deliver—to you!

This paper world is small enough to hold in your own two hands and uses all of the interactive features of the Vita, including the front and rear touch screens and the camera.

Reach into the game with your god-like powers and help iota complete this very special delivery.

Dead Rising 3 (Xbox One) This survival horror title has returned with some changes that make it a much more likeable game.

Dead Rising 3 takes place ten years after Dead Rising 2. The story follows Nick Ramos, a young mechanic and his attempt to survive a massive zombie outbreak in the fictional city of Los Perdidos, California.

Capcom has learnt its lesson from previous instalments by reducing the gruelling time-relative storyline of the second instalment and by making the game more interactive via Xbox SmartGlass and the Kinect. Coupled with smoother graphics, better rendering and the ability to save and craft weapons on the move, gameplay is a more fluent and natural affair. wuwomagazine.com

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WUWO LIKES

WUWO Likes Every month the WUWO team trawls the internet, hangs around in music shops, goes to the cinema and sits in front of the telly. We compress a month’s worth of intensive procrastination into WUWO Likes, a brief guide to this month in media.

Album Parov Stelar: The Art of Sampling – November 4 Parov Stelar, the Austrian DJ, producer and re-mixer is back with his new studio album ‘The Art of Sampling’. Known for his chart-smashing art-pop, Parov Stelar has amassed a huge worldwide underground following. With a host of DJ sets in clubs across the world and five studio albums under his belt, Parov Stelar has been hailed as Austria’s most successful contemporary music artist. His new album covers everything from warm electronic pop to jazznik gambols and even features a re-imagining of Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit ‘Got to Give it Up’.

Online You Rather (www.yourather.com) Would you rather have a fight with a horsesized duck or 100 duck-sized horses? Would you rather Comic Sans was the only font in the world or ‘Call Me Maybe’ was the only song in the world? These are the kinds of profound questions you’ll be faced with as a visitor to You Rather. The website presents you with an endless supply of ‘would you rather’ questions, from common everyday dilemmas to the downright bizarre. It’s strangely addictive and will have you doubting your common sense and rationality in no time at all.

DVD Pacific Rim – November 25 Released in cinemas in July, ‘Pacific Rim’, directed by Guillermo Del Toro, is headed for the small screen on November 25. A war is raging between humankind and the Kaiju, an army of monstrous sea creatures draining humanity’s resources. Giant robots called Jaegers have been created to combat the Kaiju, but their defences are failing. The film follows the story of two unlikely heroes called upon by mankind, who are the last hopes of protecting the human race against a mounting apocalypse.

Film How to Survive a Plague – November 8 How to Survive a Plague tells the story of a group of self-made activists, many of them HIV-positive young men, tackling their own mortality by taking on Washington and its medical establishments. The film follows two coalitions, ACT UP and TAG, who infiltrate the pharmaceutical industry to help develop potential drugs on from experimental trials to patients. Directed by David France and featuring previously unseen archival footage from the 1980’s and ‘90’s, the viewer is taken on a journey through the triumphant breakthroughs and heart-breaking failures of a group of heroes in the making.

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TECH 37

Technology

“I’m Sam, I work at Clock, one of the UK’s top digital agencies and write for WUWO about all things gadget and geeky.”

If you have any tech you’d like me to review, please send it to sam@wuwomagazine.com

BrewBot Have you ever been in shopping for booze and thought, ‘there’s probably a cheaper way of doing this’? Self-brewing your own beverage has been a mysterious method of madness kept exclusively to those in the know with god-like amounts of patience… until now.

The new kick-starter from the boys at Cargo in Ireland (where else!) have studied every nook and cranny of the process, getting it all as pretty and slick as possible so that any body can make their own moon-shine. Complete with the app to prompt you it ensures every batch comes out top notch leaving the only thing for you to do is fuss over which flavour. www.kickstarter.com/projects/cargo/brewbot-the-smart-brewing-appliance

FullScreenMario.com Remember whiling endless hours away on your chunky grey Gameboy Classic with Mario? Well, now the endless whiling has come to the big screen (desktop, not cinema please not ever again). Head over to the fullscreenmario.com and every lunch break can be fuelled with Mario mayhem as you hop around bashing your head on bricks to nab coins.

It’s addictive, you were warned.

Helios At first, transforming your bike into a ‘smart bike’ may sound one step too far but stick with me. With Helios at the helm, you add super useful functionality that makes you question why bikes were never smarter before.

Firstly, Helios gives you Bluetooth functionality so that turn-by-turn navigation is integrated in, as is GPS tracking, rechargeable headlights (that flick off when you walk away) and rear-facing indicators so that riding is as safe and smooth as can be. www.ridehelios.com

FortyDaysofDating.com Tired of dating? If you’re single and you’re friend is too, ever considered giving it a crack? Well, that’s exactly what these two NY designers did whilst blogging about it independently every day too.

It’s said forty days can change any bad habit, in this light and with a set of agreed rules including not being able to hook up with anyone else and attending regular couples therapy, the daring duo undertook the task. Aside from making for an excellent read (genuinely), it’s a beautifully designed site and an extremely well designed social experiment with fascinating results. wuwomagazine.com

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38

BOOKS

Books Each month WUWO’s Lloyd Paige reads through as many books as possible and picks out a mixed selection of literature to review, below are his findings.

Raising Steam: Discworld (Book 40) by Terry Pratchett When an eye-catching machine that can draw strength from the elements of earth, air, fire and water arrives in Ankh-Morpork, it isn’t long before a curious crowd appears. However Lord Vetinari is not impressed and makes an offer to the Post Office master, Moist von Lipwig.

With a worrying steam rising throughout Discworld, von Lipwig – who is also in charge of the Mint and the Royal Bank – soon finds himself at loggerheads with goblins, an overweight controller, dwarfs, and an obscene amount of grease.

Published by Doubleday £20.00

Dust by Patricia Cornwell Chief Medical examiner Kay Scrapetta needs time to recoup after finishing a gruesome case, however a call ends the dream and she’s soon back at work examining the body of a dead woman, found draped in a strange cloth. The evidence of fine dust found via ultraviolet lighting leads her to conclude that the death is linked to another case, yet there are conflicts with the analysis.

Corruption, designer drugs, and organised crime take centre stage as Scarpetta battles to work it all out.

Published by Little, Brown £18.99

David Beckham by David Beckham David Beckham quit his illustrious football career in May this year and won an astonishing 115 caps for his country. He has played for big clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain, and the book contains 150 images linked to his high profile playing days. Being part of ‘Brand Beckham’ means he has one of the most recognisable faces in the world and although it’s been a long time since ‘that goal’ against Wimbledon, Beckham hasn’t lost any of his allure.

Published by Headline £25.00

How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern Adam wants to jump off Ha’penny Bridge but he didn’t count on Christine passing by. They have a conversation and she makes a deal to show him that life is worth living before his impending 35th birthday. Two weeks is not a long time but together they partake in random late night trips, wild adventures, with a sprinkle of romance thrown in. Christine soon begins to believe that she’s cracked it but as always there’s more, a lot more.

Published by Harper Collins £16.99

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BLAG IT 39

How to Blag it: As an athlete

Every commentator, PE teacher and Rocky training montage says the only way to be an athlete is practise, determination and all those other qualities listed on office motivational posters. For those who chose Prosecco over press ups and for those whose closest experience to a marathon was the chocolate bar, there is still hope.

Here’s how to blag it as an Athlete.

DRUGS Has there ever been a problem that can’t be fixed by drugs? From dancing aids to cancer treatments there’s something for everyone and sport is no different. Diuretics, blood boosters, sedatives, painkillers, stimulants and lean mass builders are all used to increase performance. It should be noted you will still need to train to win, just less than you’d have to otherwise.

Curling - essentially winter bowling with brooms.

The position of thrower is a blagger’s dream, simply give the stone a shove and your team mates can sort out the rest.

PICKING THE RIGHT COUNTRY

The key to success is picking a sport where drug abuse is common and the testing is woefully inadequate, like in cycling, football or weightlifting.

PICKING THE RIGHT SPORT Some sports require more physical effort than others. To find the easiest sports, just look for the ones where you train in a pub or the ones where you take part sitting down. Here are our top three picks:

Dressage - a sport where you literally ride on the success of an animal which can cost between £10,000 and £10 million per horse. Importantly, despite the horse doing the leg work, you get the medal.

Cool Runnings really wouldn’t have worked if Jamaica had snow, a sled or an interest in bobsleigh and Eddie the Eagle wouldn’t have made it if he was from Scandinavia.

Coxswain - competitive rowing is a sport that takes a lot of physical training, muscle building and oars, unless you are the Coxswain. This position simply involves shouting at those doing the hard work and steering the boat (not too difficult considering a lot of races are in a straight line)

The art to this technique is to play the odds; for instance in England 1 in 826,086 working age people play for the national team compared to 1 in 80 in Montserrat. Pick a country with a small population and/or a small interest in your chosen sport and change nationality, then perhaps some day you can be the Vatican’s best beach volleyball player.

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