Courier 1307 by The Courier Online

www.thecourieronline.co.uk Tuesday 3 March 2015 Issue 1307 Free

UNION ELECTIONS All the runners in this week’s scramble for power p. 13

“No-one chose Hendo. Most didn’t even know about this place”

The Independent Voice of Newcastle Students

Est 1948 Photo: Cat Schroeter

As the Uni unveils plans more new halls, we look at what life is like for residents in accommodation at the end of its lifespan By Mark Sleightholm Online News Editor

Just 77 students are living in the University’s forgotten student accommodation site, three miles away from campus. The University has been planning to shut down Henderson Hall for several years, but shortages of student accommodation elsewhere meant that it was still needed, until this year. Now just Old Hall is occupied, and the rest of the buildings are empty. Most of the on-site facilities, including a TV Room and Bar, are housed in the other blocks, mostly built in the 1960s. Some of the rooms in these blocks contained warning signs for asbestos. A spokesperson from Accommodation and Hospitality Services confirmed that currently available to students at Henderson Hall are Reception, TV Room, Computer Cluster and Laundry facilities. The majority of rooms currently occupied in Henderson Hall are en suite, and are considerably cheaper than any other en-suite rooms available to undergraduates, at just £102.48 a week. This price reflects the remoteness of Henderson Hall from both the University and the city centre. A bus service connects the accommodation to the city centre, although the journey takes about 20 minutes – longer than most first years have to spend travelling to university. Henderson Hall’s isolated position is compensated slightly by a large Sainsbury’s nearby, but on site facilities provided by the University are limited to a laundry room, computer cluster and TV room. Sam Busby, a first year Maths student, said: “I’d say it was cheaper than some of the other places but I think it’s still overpriced because we didn’t get WiFi when we came here, we don’t have a TV license or anything, and we’re only paying a fraction less, really.” Another student, Yasmin McConnell, said of the distance from University: “Now that I know my way around it’s not so bad, because I’ve walked before

and it only takes me half an hour or 40 minutes, which I don’t mind, but I know that some people really don’t like the distance.” She continued: “It’s a bit less social because the lounges are so separate from the kitchen... My friends live at Ricky Road and it’s really open so they see their flatmates all the time and I feel like I hardly see mine... But I think it’s good, I still like it here.” Of the 77 students currently living at Henderson Hall, 9 have applied for a room transfer since September 2014. This works out at about 12%, a far higher percentage than at other undergraduate accommodation sites, where the request rate is generally between 3% and 6%. The proportion of postgraduate students requesting room transfers to other sites is higher, at an average of about 9%: still lower than the figure for Henderson Hall. Yasmin continued: “Most people I’ve asked, no-one put this as their choice at all, they didn’t even know about this place.” Sam added that it was his last choice of accommodation, although both students stated that they are happy there, describing a “community feel”. From next year Old Hall will be used solely as postgraduate accommodation, with 71 en-suite bedrooms costing £102.48 a week and 6 rooms with shared bathrooms, that will cost £85.68 a week, making it some of the cheapest postgraduate accommodation at Newcastle. Much of the existing postgraduate accommodation is on small sites, such as Grand Hotel, which houses just 66 students, although the majority is much closer to campus than Henderson Hall. The remaining buildings are set to be demolished, although the University has not yet decided for definite what it will do with the land afterwards. One suggestion is to put in all weather pitches. Nothing can be done, however, about Henderson Hall’s location. As Yasmin pointed out: “Most people... are happy with the accommodation itself, I think it’s the distance why some people don’t like it, because it’s so far.”

Uni crash to second successive Stan Calvert defeat Reports and analysis in 8-page pullout inside

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Tuesday 3 March 2015

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Medics sleep rough for charity Uni releases detailed Ricky Road plans

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LGBT* week, and why it matters

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BDSM on a budget Blind Date: Ste meets Sarah

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News Editors: Antonia Velikova and Kate Dewey Online News Editor: Mark Sleightholm courier.news@ncl.ac.uk | @TheCourier_News

Over the rainbow: LGBT+ week makes campus colourful By Josie Melvin Last week marked the first ever LGBT+ Awareness Week at Newcastle University, organised by the Union’s Welfare and Equality team. Olivia Jeffrey, Newcastle’s Welfare and Equality Officer, gave her views on it, saying: “it gives the chance for students to learn more about the LGBT+ community, and to give the opportunity for students to educate themselves against ignorance, with the overall aim to prevent homophobia, biphobia and trans-phobia on campus.” The week aimed to raise awareness for the diversity of sexuality whilst challenging lesbian, gay and transgender stereotypes. Throughout the week the University played host to various different events, all with the aim of educating students about the LGBT+ community and answering any related questions they may have. Monday started with an LGBT+ awareness tent outside the SU, which was then pitched for the entire week. It contained information on LGBT+, the community and what was happening later on in the week. On Tuesday NUSU held a talk on LGBT+ and religion. The speaker Greg Whalen explored a multitude of religions regarding their opinions about

homosexuality and transgender, challenging the stereotypical viewpoint that religion has a general homophobic perspective. The talk showed a positive attitude to homosexuality, including photographs of a Muslim LGBT+ march. The talk also left time at the end for any questions anyone had, which brought up a multitude of different opinions on the topic. The ‘Bisexuality 101’ talk took place on Wednesday, which tackled cliché perspectives on the sexuality whilst exploring what bisexual actually means, and how to respect and support any of the people in your life who are bisexual. As well as this there was a ‘Pride’ screening at Tyneside Cinema as part of LGBT+ History Month. Introducing the screening was Ray Goodspeed from the ‘Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners’ group, who also took park in the Q&A session after the screening to answer any related questions anyone had. On Thursday there was a talk called ‘Trans 101 with Mesmac’, in which James Davison, along with representatives from LGBT+ youth related charities Disc and Trinity Youth, gave an introduction as to what it means to be transgender. They discussed how to address someone who is transgender, with the overall aim of eliminating any

“They discussed how to address someone who is transgender”

Image: LGBT+ society false conceptions about transgender. There was also a talk on queer identity and media representation given by Gareth Longstaff which focused on how the media has affected the meaning of queer identity, and exploring the question of ‘how queer is queer?’ The last day hosted a talk on LGBT+ and stereotypes, presented by Abi Moffat and Joshua Hally-Milne, exploring its impact on those who are homosexual and transgender, along with using the speakers’ own experiences as to how stereotypes have impacted their lives.

After this LGBT+ celebrated the end of the University’s awareness week by having a ‘Colour day’ where people dressed up as brightly as possible and had a ‘selfie’ competition in MensBar. The week’s organisers stated it was a great success; LGBT+ Awareness Week at campus was met with an extremely positive attitude, and will hopefully become an annual event hosted by the University to promote equality and a better understanding as to the issues raised by the LGBT+ community.

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SMASHING STEREOTYPES: Events all through the week spread awareness of various social issues of the LGBT+ community. Image: Matt Horne Editor Tom Nicholson News Editors Antonia Velikova, Kate Dewey and Mark Sleightholm Comment Editors Victoria Armstrong, Matt Corden and Ruth Davis Culture Editor Kate Bennett Lifestyle Editors Tom Tibble, Annie Lord, Jack Dempsey and Holly Suttle Fashion Editors Amy O’Rourke, Hannah Fitton and Hannah Goldstein Beauty Editors Charlotte Davies, Charlotte Maxwell and Kathy Davidson Arts Editors Becka Crawshaw, Lucy Chenery and Jess Harman Film Editors David Leighton, Rosie Bellini and George Smith Music Editors Jamie Shepherd, Dominique Daly and Chris Addison TV Editor Helen Daly, Ellie Mclaren and Rebecca Dooley Gaming Editors Sophie Baines and Ben Tyrer Science Editors Penny Polson, Laura Staniforth and Jack Marley Sports Editors Jonty Mawer, Peter Georgiev, Huezin Lim and Josh Nicholson Copy Editors Megan Ayres and Emma Broadhouse

The Courier is printed by: Print and Digital Associates, Fernleigh House, 10 Uttoxeter Road, Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, DE3 0DA. Established in 1948, The Courier is the fully independent student newspaper of the Students’ Union at Newcastle University. The Courier is published weekly during term time, and is free of charge. The design, text, photographs and graphics are copyright of The Courier and its individual contributors. No parts of this newspaper may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor. Any views expressed in this newspaper’s comment pieces are those of the individual writing, and not of The Courier, the Students’ Union or Newcastle University.

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Tuesday 3 March 2015

Thousands rally to march against far-right Pegida By Frankie Toynton On Saturday 28 February students, amongst the general public, gathered in the city centre to participate in the antimarch against Pegida. The political party bears the reputation as a fascist, nationalist party, advocating for ‘patriots of Europe’ to unite ‘against Islamisation of the West’. The counter-demonstration was launched by activist group Newcastle Unites, and attracted considerable support on Saturday. The show of solidarity with Newcastle’s minority groups was backed by students from across the North-East.

role in the organisation of the counterrally, thanked the campaign’s supporters and told them: “We have shown the world that we can fight hatred with peace”. Ahad later posted on Newcastle Unites’ Facebook page: “I would like to thank all of Newcastle Unites working group... We successfully conveyed that we are not going to bow to hatred and we’ll counter hatred as we did again today”. Ahad was joined onstage by twentyone fellow speakers, including George Pattison, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, and several MPs, with representation from Dresden, the Trade Unions, and NUFC

“Pegida and their racist views are not something we will tolerate on our campuses or universities” A diverse crowd enjoyed a vibrant atmosphere in the city’s Chinatown before descending onto Newgate Street. A group of students, led by Lizi Gray, had congregated at the Civic Centre before joining the rally. Whilst addressing the gathered support, Gray said: “Pegida and their racist views are not something we will tolerate on our campuses or universities”. Vera Baird, Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria, took to twitter “for clarity”, and published statistics for the counter-demonstrators. Baird says that Pegida achieved a two hundred strong gathering, in contrast to the three thousand who turned out in opposition. Pegida’s Facebook event for the demonstration contests this, claiming they had 500 supporters and accuses the media of misreporting their representation. This demonstration was Pegida’s first rally on British soil. A march in Dresden saw eighteen thousand supporters flock to Pegida’s banner, a far cry from the meagre turnout at Newcastle’s Bigg Market. Leading figures from the group have blamed transport problems, citing Northumbria Police’s decision to stage the protest in the morning as a crucial factor in the loss of up to one thousand supporters. Northumbria Police offered a heavy presence at both rallies, having undertaken stringent planning procedures beforehand. In an official statement that was prematurely released to The Courier, Superintendent Laura Young said: “We have met with representatives from both of the organisations and have agreed on plans for their demonstrations”. She continued: “Police forces do not have the power to ban a protest or the right to peaceful assembly. This is a fundamental democratic right and is laid down in the European Convention of Human Rights”. The police force received widespread praise for their handling of the protests. Five arrests were made, all Pegida followers, which Baird suggested: “maybe says it all”. No arrests were made from the counter-demonstrators, which did not go unnoticed by prominent figures within Newcastle Unites. Dipu Ahad, the Labour Councilor and human rights activist who has suffered abuse for his

Fans United amongst others. Most notably, George Galloway of the Respect Party, MP for Bradford West, gave a speech listing four jobs stereotypically associated with the Muslim community as a reason for solidarity. He then suggested that Pegida wouldn’t bother campaigning in Bradford, such is the strength of unity in the area, before recovering his position by acknowledging that his trip need not have been made, given the impressive anti-Pegida movement that had amassed in Newcastle. Saturday’s response to the right-wing threat was a significant show of unity rallying against Pegida. The volume of anti-march demonstrators is reminiscent of the anti-march turnout for the EDL rally in 2010. A comparatively low number of immigrants, coupled with high austerity in the city, are the alleged reasons behind Pegida’s decision to host its first UK march in Newcastle. This movement has not seen the last of its action, as Ahad warns: “Hate cannot be defeated by one counter demo. It’s a responsibility of each and everyone of us to be proactive in countering hate”. Marion Rogers, spokeswoman for Pegida UK told BBC News: “We are not racist, we are not fascist, we are not farright and we’re certainly not anti-Islam - we’ve got Muslims here with us today. “Islamisation of the West in our books is extremist Islam, extremist Muslims, basically enforcing their beliefs on us and making us feel like second class citizens in our own country. “We want integration. We are not the hate campaign we are made out to be.” However, the anti-Pegida marchers strongly believed they were marching against a fascist and racist group. The Feminist Society in particular provided an impressive number of protesters. A series of placards were created, bearing slogans of “Love Newcastle Hate Racism” and “Pegida Is Worse Than Voldemort”. No Stan Calvert tensions were in evidence here, with “Poly + Posh Against Pegida” providing some much needed common ground between the fiercely competitive sporting rivals. Saturday made clear that there is a strong politicised element of Newcastle’s student population, who are willing to commit to a progressive, inclusive cause.

Images: Antonia Velikova

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Tuesday 3 March 2015

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Appy days: BBC 6 Music hackathon By Kotryna Kairyte On 20 February a hack day was held in Newcastle as a part of the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival and became a great chance for young people interested in coding and music technology to come together and create apps to trial at the Festival. This is the second 24 hour coding event held in Newcastle in February, but this one focused specifically on creating apps that would convey a unique experience of being a part of a live music festival. Organized by BBC Radio 6 Music, an interactive digital radio station, along with Generator, the UK’s leading music development agency, and Newcastle University Business School, the event took place in The Core within Newcastle Science City. Right before the event Dr. Joanna Berry, the Director of External Relations in Newcastle University Business School, shared her excitement about the Festival Hack Day with The Courier: “This is a great opportunity for students to meet real life developers and to get handson experience of creating apps that we hope people would be able to trial during the Festival.” Dr. Berry also said that the hack day is particularly important in the context of the festival as it helps to promote how important a live music experience

is. Even if she admitted that it was quite hard to organize it, the result was definitely rewarding. “We’re making a great impact on music technology and it is very important to me personally. Even if I had to go buying extra toilet rolls for night!” she added, laughing. Participants were also excited and nervous before the start of the event. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the event which combines both of my passions – music and coding,” Mark, a Newcastle University Computer Science student, told The Courier. However, not only students of the University, but also graduates and external developers were invited to participate in the Hackathon. Luke, a young entrepreneur starting his own business, came to the event with a lot of great ideas, but no coding experience: “I expect that a lot of coffee will be consumed through the night, but I am also positive I will have a chance to share my ideas with like-minded people who are great hackers and create an amazing app.” The Hack Day was a great success as young people developed a lot of amazing apps while competing amongst each other for great prizes, such as tickets to the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival. After 24 hours of coding the winners announced were The Orange Bus team who made Follow the Music - a web app that allows people to discover and tune into the 6 Music Festival’s schedule.

“This is a great opportunity for students to meet real life developers and to get handson experience of creating apps”

HACKING AWAY: Hack Day participants freshen up the 6 Music Festival. Image: Generator

HoMed sleeping rough for charity By Yuwei Hu Newcastle University’s Homed society, a branch of Newcastle’s Medsin society, will be trying to raise awareness and funds for the homeless at their third annual sleepout event. The event will take place on 7th March on the grass in front of the Northern Stage Theatre. At last year’s event, 45 students spent their night working with the YMCA, the largest and oldest youth charity in the world, to learn about the problems the homeless face every day. Attendees will stay late or even sleep out to get a taste of what it is like to be without the comforts of home and a soft warm bed each night. They will consider possible ways of helping the homeless through simulated experiences, quizzes and speeches from the YMCA. They will also be able to listen to the stories of invited individuals who have experienced homelessness. “As we are sleeping outside the Union on a Saturday night, [last year] we did have some problems with drunk people leaving the club night there and I expect the same will happen this year, but we have contacted Newcastle University Estates to help us solve any of these problems,” said Anna Jackson, Sleepout and Fundraising Co-ordinator. “The sleepout is a really great experience,” she adds, “at Homed Newcastle, we volunteer a lot with people who have been homeless in the

past or are currently homeless and it really gives you a chance to understand the difficulties they have faced. It’s also a great opportunity to raise some money for a great charity and have some fun!” There are 75,000 young homeless people in England. The YMCA aims to give them safe accommodation and support, and provides shelter for 10,000 young people every night. A team of youth workers give specially-tailored crisis support. With the help of the YMCA, the Homed Society hopes that raising awareness of homelessness at the annual event can inspire a culture of kindness and humanitarian toward the homeless. They want University students to apply their social networking and digital skills to put an end to the invisible struggles of homelessness and give homeless people a chance of a better future. The YMCA estimates that there are over 75,000 homeless young people in the UK, with around 400 young people going homeless in Newcastle. In September 2013 researchers at Northumbria University published a report into homelessness in Newcastle, which suggested Newcastle rates highly in terms of positive action to relieve homelessness. They credited Newcastle’s success to an approach that considered the reasons for homelessness, and an emphasis on collective support.

“The sleepout is a really great experience”

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Tuesday 3 March 2015

Light at the end of the Ricky Road By Mark Sleightholm Online News Editor

Plans have been unveiled showing what the new accommodation at Richardson Road could look like. The University hopes to demolish the existing buildings in August 2016, meaning that just one more group of freshers will enjoy the current facilities. The new accommodation will consist of over 1300 ensuite bedrooms, some of which will be specifically designed as accessible rooms for disabled students. The development will also include several studio flats for students looking to be more independent. The new rooms will be arranged over six cross-shaped blocks of varying sizes. Most of the rooms will be in 8-people flats, each of which will have an open plan kitchen and living space with large windows overlooking either Castle Leazes or the Sports Centre. According to the latest proposals, the site will be serviced by two laundry facilities and a general-purpose student lounge, with consultation underway over exactly what this should look like. There will also be several taxi drop-off points, which can also be used for food deliveries, that are intended to minimise student disruption to local residents. The current design of Richardson Road includes a maze of pathways and strange corners, and the new accommodation will eliminate these. The simplified layout will mean there is space for a new academic research building and an extension to the Sports Centre that could double the size of existing sports facilities. Sport is a growth area of the University and so an extension is highly anticipated. The University has not yet decided what form the extension will take, although since squash courts are going to be demolished during the redevelop-

$&&2002'$7,21 3/86 8QLYHUVLW\ UHYHDOV XSGDWHG SURSRVDOV IRU 5LFN\ 5RDG Images: Purcell

will find temporary additional accommodation, probably through managed partnership schemes similar to the likes of Liberty Plaza or Victoria Hall. A University spokesperson said: “It is an important priority for the University to ensure that there is sufficient good quality accommodation available for students. Plans are already under way to source alternative accommodation in readiness for September 2016, in anticipation of the commencement of work on the new Richardson Road developments.” The squash courts that are also due to be demolished are unlikely to be replaced until the new Sports Centre extension is completed. This may not be until after the rebuilding of Richardson Road is complete, although since the extension is still at a very early stage of development it is impossible to say with any certainty when it will be finished. The developers and University are keen to gather as many views as they can on the project, and so have engaged in extensive consultation with students, staff and local residents, as well as local councillors.

Many students attended lunchtime sessions held throughout February, where students could view the plans and discuss their views with members of the development team. The sessions proved popular, perhaps in part due to the availability of free pizza. Other consultation events, such as those for local residents, attracted fewer people, although the developers pointed out that many of those who did attend were representatives for their local area, and would report back their findings at community meetings. Since previous public consultations the plans have been amended. The height of the blocks has been reduced by lowering ceiling heights slightly, and so now most of the new blocks will be no higher than the existing Richardson Road buildings. All those involved with the project have stressed their willingness to listen to the views of anybody who takes an interest in the redevelopment, and at the plans are still not completely final. Anyone who wishes to provide feedback on the designs, or who has any concerns about the project, can email richardsonrd.rebuild@ncl.ac.uk for more information. Since the plans have not yet been finalised and are still in the consultation stage, the University has not yet decided what rent it will charge for the new rooms. Currently, on average across the University’s undergraduate accommodation sites, single en-suite bedrooms cost about £125 a week. The current weekly rent for a bedroom at Richardson Road is £87.64.

weird smell and winningly erratic interpretation of how many walls a room ought to have, but the writing has been on the wall for Ricky since redevelopment plans were first mooted in 2011. Apparently prospective freshers are demanding their own bathrooms these days, the pampered little sods. However, given the location and

brand spanking newness of the new Ricky Road development, it’s not unreasonable to speculate that it will end up being far, far more expensive than its current incarnation. Where, then, will the budget halls be? Hendo is in the process of being decommissioned, and St. Mary’s can’t hold everybody. Tom Nicholson

bedrooms, should be ready for September 2018, with the remaining 300 completed for the following year. To cover the loss of Richardson Road accommodation during the rebuild the University

“It is an important priority for the University to ensure that there is VXIÀ FLHQW JRRG TXDOLW\ DFFRPPRGDWLRQ DYDLODEOH IRU VWXGHQWVµ ment, it seems likely that squash courts will feature in the new design. Much to the dismay of students, not least those involved in the swimming and water polo teams, the University currently has no swimming pool. Claire Boothman, NUSU President, and Caleb Jones, Athletic Union Officer, have been campaigning for a University swimming pool. At 924 rooms, Richardson Road is second only to Castle Leazes in terms of size, and is cheaper than all other undergraduate sites except St Mary’s College, which is located over a mile away from campus. While the design of the current buildings may have become infamous, they offer cheap accommodation close to campus to a large portion of first year students. After the redevelopment the site will accommodate around 400 extra students, an increase of 41% on current numbers. The new buildings are pre-fabricated and so can be built quickly, but work on the infrastructure is likely to take up a large part of the total build time. Four of the blocks, comprising 1,000

Comment That Ricky Road is the best halls available by a mile scarcely needs repeating (Block 17 4 lyf), but even the most diehard of Ricky Road lovers would have to admit that the old girl’s best days are behind her. Yes, it’s a shame to deprive future generations of students of Ricky’s

6.news

Tuesday 3 March 2015

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FemSoc celebrate women worldwide By Valentina Egorova Newcastle University Feminist society will be hosting an event on 8 March, International Women’s Day. The celebration will take place in the Students’ Union with a busy programme for a full day. It involves talks, workshops, stalls and live music. Students are welcomed to pop in at any time of the day. Every year the International Women’s Day is celebrated by organisations and women’s groups around the world. The first one was held in 1911, and has been spreading globally since then. It is a day dedicated to marking women’s achievements and promoting women’s rights everywhere in the world. Not just that but International Women’s Day will also recognise current existing problems of gender inequality. Lucy Morgan, President of FemSoc, said: “It is important to celebrate the International Women’s Day in order to correct the current imbalance of popular representation of different genders”. This year the International Women’s Day means even more for women fighting for their rights. The United Nations has chosen “Equality for women is progress for all” as the theme of 2015. For this reason, there will be a large number of events and activities across the UK. For the event Lucy Morgan has prepared a “Feminism 101” talk. The talk will include many diverse topics, which Morgan says will include: “Why NUSU

FemSoc is an intersectional, anti-racist, pro-choice and inclusive society, who supports the total decriminalisation of sex work in the United Kingdom”. This might be of particular interest to those are unsure what feminism stands for. Other talks will cover feminism and disability,and domestic violence services in Newcastle. The event also offers workshops with guest speakers such as Emma Roebuck, Chief Officer at Gay Advice Darlington and Durham, and Ruth O’Sullivan, the President of Manchester University’s MarxSoc. Emma will talk about the ways, how to make feminism more inclusive for people identifying as trans, and Ruth will cover the origins of the International Women’s Day. Other topics will include women in STEM subjects, women excelling in careers, cultural appropriation and women in sport. There will also be stalls such as Islamic Diversity Centre North East (with free henna and Indian food), gender research group and the Marxist society. Femsoc provides the opportunity for everyone to be involved in International Women’s Day. Last year on International Women’s Day, FemSoc joined the movement “I need feminism because…” and found dozens of stimulating answers. This year the programme is promising to be even more exciting and varied. Anyone interested in having a stall on the event can get in touch with FemSoc on their Facebook page.

“Equality for women is progress for all”

FEMSOC PRIDE: Newcastle Feminist Society will be organising the event. Image: Lucy Morgan

The Courier

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Tuesday 3 March 2015

Cocktail coaching for Cancer Research UK cer research in particular is personal for Edgar, whose mother battled breast cancer five years ago. Cocktails were flowing last week in She said: “It was really serious. I mean, the Fat Buddha as dozens of students she went through chemotherapy and mixed drinks and mingled throughout radiotherapy. So I was significantly afthe evening, all in the name of cancer fected. It around the GCSEs, and it was research. quite hard.” The Cocktail Society’s masterclasses, Her mother overcame one of more hosted by The Cocktail Project, expect- than 200 types of cancer, which, aced to raise about £500 for their Cancer cording to Cancer Research UK, causes Research UK charity events on Tuesday more than one in four of all deaths in and Thursday. the United Kingdom. Surrounded by pink and blue balloons, Newcastle University collaborates more than 30 supporters squeezed into with Cancer Research UK and other the corner of the bar to get first-hand organisations through the Northern Inlessons on making delicious cocktails. stitute for Cancer Research, to provide The Cocktail Project team kicked off state-of-the-art cancer treatment and the event with a round of strawberry world-class research. daiquiris and blue Though the cocklagoons – in hon“We’re in a position tail events were in our of Cancer Reof research now where we’ve got support search UK’s colour for a disease that a lot of money in the has claimed the theme. Headed by presi- society, we’ve got a lot lives of millions dent Julia Glen of people, the atand treasurer Sam of members, and we’ve mosphere of the Edgar, the fundwere got an opportunity to masterclasses raiser is the first light-hearted and raise a lot of money fun, as attendees of its kind for the Cocktail Society. got the opportunity and awareness” The 260-memto shake and pour ber society opened the event to non- their very own cocktail behind the bar, members in hopes of maximizing the guided by The Cocktail Project team. amount of money raised. Maths student Adam Pringle was imEdgar said: “I think societies should pressed with the turnout and drinks. He take the opportunities to raise money said: “We were here a couple weeks ago for charity. We’re in a position now and we really enjoyed it, and thought we where we’ve got a lot of money in the may as well do it again, especially with it society, we’ve got a lot of members, and being for charity this time.” we’ve got an opportunity to raise a lot of The Cocktail Society has planned anmoney and awareness.” other masterclass in the coming weeks The motivation for supporting can- before Easter.

By Ashley Williams

MIXING IT UP: Students partake in cocktail master class for charity. Images: Ashley Williams

How to save a life with LINKS: Discover Islam free First Aid courses offered Week ready to hit campus

relationships with students on campus. “We wanted to illustrate the beautiful morals of the Prophet Muhammad The Islamic Society’s annual Discover (may God’s peace and blessings be upon Islam Week from 2 March to 6 March him), and by extension - Islam, by illusat the white marquee opposite NU will trating these values. One value in parraise awareness and remove prejudice ticular is: Islam teaches kindness!” surrounding the fastest growing reliTo illustrate this, members of ISoc will gion in the world. be conducting random acts of kindness Discover Islam Week has been one of towards their fellow students and prethe biggest weeks in the ISoc calendar sent them with a “kindness card”, invitand it takes place every year. The op- ing them to take part in the event. portunity to speak directly to Muslim ISoc seeks to encourage more students students would be a fantastic way to to take part, irrespective of their relilearn more about their faith and pargion, and come toticular current affairs gether in a real ef“It’s an opportunity for that are of common fort to build bridges concerns across the our fellow students of within communiworld. All members different faiths or no ties. During the week and volunteers the society will be faith to learn a bit about are the backbone putting together a of this event. For our religion” range of activities those interested in aimed at opening becoming cultural dialogues about their way of life, en- ambassadors or developing further opcouraging contact with individuals and portunities in culture estates or NGOs communities, promoting social interac- it is a fun and rewarding week to have a tion and celebrating art and culture. The balanced theological discussion. week topics diversify from ‘Does God Everyone is welcome to sit down and Exist?’,‘Women In Islam’ and’ Hereafter’ enjoy a delicious samosa, the exhibition, to ‘Henna and Calligraphy’ and ‘ Food public speech, free literature, English for Thought’. Qurans, DVDs and other refreshments. “Discover Islam Week is an annual ISoc will also have a Dawah stall outevent organised by the Newcastle Uni- side of the marquee to take inquiries or versity Islamic Society,” said Sohail Abu pick up free dawah material. Asiyah, a member of ISoc. “It’s an opThe event will give delegates an inportunity for our fellow students of sight into how the Society works and different faiths or no faith to learn a bit will bring awareness to the problems the about our religion, whilst also using this Muslim community currently faces and week as a means of building and forging how to deal with these issues.

By Yuwei Hu

Heartstart training teaches students how to react in emergencies. Image: Newcastle LINKS

By Maria-Magdalena Manolova Newcastle LINKS, the first aid society of both Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, led a free lifesaving course for students in the Barbara Strang Teaching Centre on 25 February. “Heartstart training teaches you what to do in a life threatening emergency,” campaign organisers said. The two-hour course covers a wide range of Emergency Life Support (ELS) Skills such as dealing with an unconscious casualty, choking, serious bleeding, defibrillation and suspected heart attack. The Heartstart course trainers, 16 qualified students, are not only medical students – they are also volunteers

from all courses and stages throughout the University. The aim of the society, which is affiliated with the British Heart Foundation’s Heartstart Programme, is to train 1,000 people this year. Both students and staff from Newcastle University and Northumbria University can take part in the course which works under the motto: “we believe everyone should have some sort of first aid training, because it can literally be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.” Although you don’t have to pay if you want to be taught these lifesaving techniques, your donations will be welcomed. The money will go to the running costs of the course which would

otherwise cost you around £50. Also, any money which is left over will be donated to the British Heart Foundation, which designed and accredited the course. After finishing the programme, you receive a certificate of attendance that you’ve gained essential life support skills. Newcastle LINKS society provides both basic and advanced training sessions on a weekly basis every Thursday. Any member who wish to join the St John’s Ambulance part of the society will receive training in how to give first aid completely free of charge. As well as this, they will have the chance to go out on duty as a First Aider.

Tuesday 3 March 2015

8.nationalstudentnews

The Courier

NEWSTACK

Leeds researchers to fight Ebola in Africa Job Â Title: Â Administrative Â Assistant Â Employer: Â Sirius Â Market Â Access Closing Â Date: Â 31/03/2015 Salary: Â ÂŁ8.50 Â per Â hour Â Basic Â job Â description: Â The Â company Â comprises Â of Â an Â international Â team Â of Â multidisciplinary Â sci-Â entists Â with Â a Â variety Â of Â backgrounds Â including Â a Â physician, Â economists, Â lead Â scientists, Â a Â medical Â editor Â and Â writers. Â We Â need Â an Â Administrative Â Assistant Â to Â assist Â with: Â devising Â and Â maintain-Â LQJ RIÂż FH V\VWHPV RUGHULQJ DQG PDLQWDLQLQJ stationery Â and Â equipment, Â booking Â rooms Â and Â conference Â facilities, Â using Â content Â management Â systems Â to Â maintain Â and Â update Â websites Â and Â internal Â databases Â and Â much Â more. Â Person Â Requirements: Â The Â successful Â can-Â didate Â will Â be Â studying Â for Â a Â PhD Â in Â molecular Â biology, Â cancer Â biology, Â immunology Â or Â similar. Â 3UHYLRXV RIÂż FH H[SHULHQFH ZRXOG EH DQ DGYDQ tage, Â but Â not Â essential. Â Candidates Â must Â have Â H[FHOOHQW DWWHQWLRQ WR GHWDLO D FDQ GR DSSURDFK WR DOO WDVNV H[FHOOHQW FRPPXQLFDWLRQ VNLOOV Location: Â Newcastle Â upon Â Tyne Â Job Â Title: Â Experienced Â Bar Â Staff Â for Â Summer Â 2015 (PSOR\HU &LWUXV (YHQW 6WDIÂż QJ Closing Â Date: Â 31/05/2015 Salary: Â ÂŁ6.75 Â per Â hour Â Â Basic Â job Â description: Â Do Â you Â want Â to Â work Â in Â a Â fun Â and Â fast Â changing Â environment Â as Â part Â of Â a Â great Â team? Â Do Â you Â want Â to Â work Â at Â some Â of Â the Â 8.ÂśV PRVW H[FLWLQJ HYHQWV" 7KHQ ZH KDYH WKH job Â for Â you! Â Citrus Â is Â an Â agency Â that Â specialises Â in Â providing Â high Â quality Â event Â and Â hospitality Â staff Â to Â music Â festivals Â and Â events Â throughout Â the Â UK. Â Over Â the Â past Â 8 Â years Â we Â have Â supplied Â staff Â to Â hundreds Â of Â events Â nationwide Â including: Â Bestival, Â Boomtown Â Fair, Â Camp Â Bestival, Â Shindig Â XXII, Â Secret Â Garden Â Party, Â Glasgow Â Summer Â Sessions, Â Barclaycard Â presents Â British Â Summer Â Time Â @ Â Hype Â Park Â and Â many Â many Â more. Person Â Requirements: Â Eligible Â to Â work Â in Â the Â UK, Â have Â a Â UK Â bank Â account Â in Â your Â own Â name, Â H[FHOOHQW (QJOLVK ODQJXDJH VNLOOV RYHU WKH DJH RI SUHYLRXV KRVSLWDOLW\ H[SHULHQFH Location: Â Nationwide Â Job Â Title: Â Student Â Associate Â Employer: Â Aspire Â Learning Â Programmes Â Clients Â Limited Â Closing Â Date: Â 31/08/2015 Salary: Â ÂŁ10 Â per Â tutorial Â delivered Â Â Basic Â job Â description: Â A Â student Â associate Â is Â a Â current Â student Â who Â is Â willing Â to Â provide Â weekly Â online Â tutorials Â with Â prospective Â university Â ap-Â plicants Â from Â state Â schools. Â The Â aim Â of Â these Â tutorials Â is Â to Â deepen Â the Â applicants Â interest Â in Â a Â subject Â of Â their Â choice, Â and Â to Â develop Â key Â academic Â skills Â that Â will Â enhance Â their Â university Â application Â (e.g. Â critical Â thinking Â skills, Â academic Â DUJXPHQWDWLRQ ËŤ %HQHÂż WV RI EHLQJ D VWXGHQW DVVRFLDWH LQFOXGH WHDFKLQJ H[SHULHQFH DQG WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR VKDSH the Â thinking Â of Â a Â potential Â application. Â In Â return Â we Â ask Â student Â associates Â to Â commit Â to Â teaching Â at Â least Â a Â single Â one Â hour Â online Â tutorial Â per Â week, Â at Â a Â time Â that Â is Â suitable Â to Â both Â student Â associate Â and Â prospective Â applicant. Â Person Â Requirements: Â The Â qualities Â that Â we Â look Â for Â in Â our Â student Â associates Â are: Â Teaching Â or Â WXWRULQJ H[SHULHQFH WKLV LV JRRG EXW QRW HVVHQWLDO Sociability-Â Â could Â you Â engage Â with Â and Â tutor Â a Â VL[WK IRUP VWXGHQW WKDW \RX KDYH RQO\ MXVW PHW" Academic Â Interest-Â Â an Â interest Â in Â the Â subject Â that Â you Â are Â studying Â that Â you Â can Â pass Â on Â to Â the Â stu-Â dent Â you Â are Â tutoring. Â Organisational Â Skills-Â Â the Â ability Â to Â balance Â the Â commitment Â to Â your Â tutees Â with Â your Â other Â academic Â commitments. Â Problem Â Solving-Â Â the Â ability Â to Â recognise Â when Â your Â tutee Â is Â struggling Â and Â to Â shift Â to Â a Â different Â gear Â to Â H[SODLQ D SUREOHP Location: Â Newcastle Â upon Â Tyne Â Job Â Title: Â Interpreter Â Employer: Â ITL Â North Â East Â Closing Â Date: Â 31/07/2015 Salary: Â ÂŁ15-ÂÂŁ18 Â per Â hour Â Â Basic Â job Â description: Â ITL Â the Â North Â Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â premier Â Interpreting Â and Â Translation Â organisation Â requires Â new Â interpreters Â and Â translators Â in Â every Â language Â from Â Arabic Â to Â Zulu. Person Â Requirements: Â Candidates Â must Â be Â able Â to Â speak Â and Â translate Â using Â their Â own Â language, Â and Â obtain Â a Â good Â level Â of Â the Â English Â language. Â Location: Â Gateshead Â Job Â Title: Â Outbound Â Sales Â Advisor Â Employer: Â Energy Â Compare Â Ltd Closing Â Date: Â 25/12/2015 Salary: Â Exceeds Â ÂŁ7.20 Â per Â hour Â

Basic Â job Â description: Â As Â an Â Outbound Â Sales Â Advisor Â you Â will Â be Â working Â on Â behalf Â of Â a Â large Â RUJDQLVDWLRQ FRQWDFWLQJ QRQ H[LVLWLQJ FXVWRPHUV with Â the Â aim Â of Â getting Â these Â potential Â customers Â to Â sign Â up Â to Â a Â website. Â Hours Â of Â work: Â 4pm Â -Â Â 8pm Â Monday Â to Â Friday Â and Â Saturday Â 10am Â -Â Â 1pm. Â Good Â basic Â salary Â and Â potential Â to Â earn Â uncapped Â commission Â and Â lots Â of Â other Â incentives! Â All Â of Â our Â current Â management Â team Â have Â been Â promoted Â internally Â so Â there Â is Â real Â chance Â of Â progression. Person Â Requirements: Â ([SHULHQFH LV GHVLUDEOH but Â all Â we Â ask Â if Â that Â you Â are Â hardworking, Â pas-Â sionate Â and Â enjoy Â a Â tough Â challenge! Location: Â Boldon Â Job Â Title: Â Frontline Â Brand Â Manager Â Employer: Â Frontline Closing Â Date: Â 10/04/2015 Salary: Â ÂŁ7.85 Â per Â hour Â Basic Â job Â description: Â Frontlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â mission Â is Â to Â transform Â the Â lives Â of Â vulnerable Â children Â by Â recruiting Â and Â developing Â outstanding Â individuals Â to Â be Â leaders Â in Â social Â work Â and Â broader Â society. Â Frontline Â are Â looking Â for Â people Â to Â become Â part Â of Â WKHLU H[FLWLQJ UHFUXLWPHQW FDPSDLJQ DW XQLYHUVLW\ If Â you Â are Â passionate Â about Â making Â a Â positive Â change Â in Â society, Â well-Âconnected Â with Â different Â networks Â at Â your Â university, Â self-Âmotivated Â with Â DQ LQWHUHVW RU H[SHULHQFH LQ PDUNHWLQJ WKLV LV D fantastic Â way Â to Â develop Â transferrable Â skills Â to Â aid Â any Â future Â career. Person Â Requirements: Â You Â are Â ideal Â for Â this Â role Â if Â you Â are Â an Â enthusiastic, Â proactive Â individual Â ZKR KDV H[FHOOHQW FRPPXQLFDWLRQ VNLOOV <RX PXVW DOVR EH FRQÂż GHQW ZHOO FRQQHFWHG VRFLDEOH articulate Â and Â happy Â to Â approach Â new Â people Â as Â well Â as Â network Â on Â campus. Â Location: Â On Â Campus Â Job Â Title: Â Telephone Â Interviewer Employer: Â Populus Â Data Â Solutions Â Closing Â Date: Â 30/04/2015 Salary: Â NMW Â + Â bonus Â Basic Â job Â description: Â We Â are Â looking Â for Â can-Â GLGDWHV ZLWK D FRQÂż GHQW SURIHVVLRQDO WHOHSKRQH PDQQHU DQG D SURDFWLYH DSSURDFK ([SHULHQFH LV preferred Â but Â not Â essential Â as Â full Â training Â is Â pro-Â vided. Â Interviewers Â must Â be Â available Â for Â a Â mini-Â mum Â of Â three Â shifts Â per Â week. Â This Â role Â is Â ideal Â IRU DQ\RQH ORRNLQJ IRU ZHOO SDLG DQG Ă&#x20AC; H[LEOH ZRUN WKDW Âż WV DURXQG IDPLO\ RU VWXG\ FRPPLWPHQWV Working Â as Â part Â of Â a Â team Â you Â will Â be Â responsible Â for Â the Â telephone Â recruitment Â of Â respondents Â for Â Market Â Research Â interviews Â nationwide. Â Â Populus Â Data Â Solutions Â abides Â by Â the Â strict Â guidelines Â laid Â down Â by Â the Â Market Â Research Â Society, Â meaning Â that Â the Â interviews Â carried Â out Â by Â our Â telephone Â interviewers Â are Â purely Â for Â research Â purposes Â â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Â there Â is Â no Â sales Â or Â marketing Â involved. Person Â Requirements: Â Good Â command Â of Â the Â English Â language Â both Â written Â and Â verbal, Â polite, Â FRQÂż GHQW DQG IULHQGO\ PDQQHU FRQÂż GHQW XVLQJ computers Â and Â software Â packages, Â ability Â to Â read Â IURP D VFULSW UHOLDEOH Ă&#x20AC; H[LEOH DQG TXLFN WKLQNLQJ Location: Â Newcastle Â upon Â Tyne. Â Â Job Â Title: Â Content Â Producer Â Employer: Â What Â Culture Â Ltd Â Closing Â Date: Â 31/12/2015 Salary: Â ÂŁ50 Â per Â day Â Basic Â job Â description: Â We Â recruit Â throughout Â the Â year Â however Â the Â successful Â candidate Â would Â start Â as Â soon Â as Â possible. Â WhatCulture.com Â is Â looking Â for Â content Â contributors Â to Â keep Â track Â of Â the Â entertainment Â and Â sporting Â scene Â and Â provide Â features Â and Â analysis. Â The Â position Â focuses Â on Â Âż OPV JDPLQJ DQG PXVLF LQ DOO IRUPV DV ZHOO DV a Â variety Â of Â different Â sports Â including Â â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Â but Â not Â OLPLWHG WR Âą VRFFHU UXJE\ FULFNHW ) ER[LQJ DQG athletics. Â An Â in-Âdepth Â knowledge Â in Â two Â or Â more Â of Â WKHVH Âż HOGV LV SUHIHUUHG :H DUH DOVR YHU\ PXFK on Â the Â lookout Â for Â comedy Â writers Â who Â can Â bring Â a Â relatable Â and Â unique Â humour Â to Â their Â content Â to Â carry Â on Â the Â success Â weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Â had Â with Â our Â offbeat Â section. Â Content Â Producers Â can Â work Â either Â 9-Â5 Â which Â is Â paid Â at Â ÂŁ50 Â per Â day Â or Â they Â can Â work Â a Â three Â hour Â evening Â shift Â which Â is Â paid Â at Â ÂŁ25. Person Â Requirements: Â The Â candidate Â must Â be Â able Â to Â operate Â competently Â on Â the Â internet, Â checking Â forums, Â blogs, Â monitoring Â sites Â and Â keeping Â on Â top Â of Â current Â news Â trends Â on Â a Â daily Â basis. Â Well-Âversed Â in Â social/mobile Â media. Â The Â candidate Â should Â be Â comfortable Â utilising Â Twitter, Â Facebook, Â Mobile Â Apps, Â Smartphones Â or Â Tablet Â Devices. Â It Â is Â vital Â that Â all Â candidates Â possess Â strong Â writing Â and Â communication Â skills. Â Editing Â VNLOOV DQG H[SHULHQFH ZLOO VWDQG WKH DSSOLFDQW LQ good Â stead, Â but Â is Â not Â required. Location: Â Newcastle Â upon Â Tyne. Â Â

Four researchers from the University of Leeds have volunteered to fight the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone. The scientists, who all work in the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Faculty of Biological Sciences, will each work for five weeks in diagnostic laboratories run by Public Health England in the West African country. Scientists in the laboratories do not work directly with Ebola patients but are vital to the international effort because of the importance of diagnosing cases quickly and accurately. What may seem like a risky mission and deter many others, did not apply for these four individuals. Mr Buckley, who is expecting to be deployed in March, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is what we come into this field for. If you are a virologist, you want to be active in the fight against dangerous viruses like Ebola. It is something that I feel I have to do because I am a specialist in this area, and this is a unique situation that requires specialised skills.â&#x20AC;?

Lincoln encourages postgraduate study People who have a passion for learning and are having a hard time deciding on which postgraduate study is right for them can now choose from more than 30 different subjects on offer at a free Postgraduate Taster Day at University of Lincoln. The University of Lincoln is hosting a series of masterclasses inviting members of the public to experience Masters level study for a day. Activities cover a rich array of academic disciplines, across the arts, sciences and social sciences â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from exploring historic archives to considering major scientific challenges. Elly Sample, Director of Communications, Development and Marketing at the University of Lincoln, explains: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The University of Lincolnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Postgraduate Taster Days give the public an opportunity to experience stepping back into the classroom and rekindle their love of learning alongside like-minded people.â&#x20AC;?

Birmigham classed most LGBT-friendly The University of Birmingham has been ranked 79th overall in the definitive list of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most gay-friendly workplaces. Birminghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2015 sees an impressive rise of 180 places from last year. Within the education sector, the University of Birmingham is ranked 9th in the UK. The Stonewall Top 100 Employers is compiled from submissions to Stonewallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Workplace Equality Index. The Index assesses employersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities in a comprehensive survey of policy and practice; from promoting the visibility of senior lesbian, gay and bisexual role models to guaranteeing access to benefits for samesex partners and training employees on discrimination issues. Employers submit written responses to the criteria set by Stonewall.

Sports stars lacking in social media skills

Images: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Richard Croft, CBass, Snowmanradio

Professor Simon Chadwick, director of the Centre for the International Business of Sport at Coventry University, says that regular faux pas and a lack of engaging content are hampering many teamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; efforts to generate either the buzz or the revenue that might be expected of a world-renowned organisation. High-profile sports teams and personalities are struggling to get to grips with social media and its commercial potential, according to experts in sport business strategy. Professor Chadwick suggests that the recent sacking of Manchester United scout Torben Aakjaer following the alleged posting of anti-immigration messages on his Facebook page is the latest example of sports teams struggling to control their image on social media. He adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manchester United, with its corporate communications teams, commercially valuable brand and global fan base is compelled to take action against any suspect social media content with which it becomes associated.â&#x20AC;? Ghangaa Mano

The Courier

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Comment

thecourieronline.co.uk/comment

Comment Editors: Victoria Armstrong & Matt Corden Online Comment Editor: Ruth Davis courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Comment

The struggle isn’t over yet

LGBT+ Awareness week was great, but we mustn’t get complacent in thinking that all sexualities are liberated to the non-LGBT+ community what these differences are, and what each sub-community faces, but Iqra Choudry we can educate those who identify as LGBT+ about

nless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have noticed that the University Campus has been effectively taken over for the first ever LGBT+ Awareness Week. From banners to rainbow flags; to information stalls and free sweets; to members of the LGBT+ Society and their fellow volunteers running around in colourful morph suits – it’s been a brilliant 5 days of talks, challenging stereotypes and dispelling some of the common myths regarding the LGBT+ community at large. Some people would ask: Why in this day and age would we NEED an LGBT+ Awareness Week? It’s 2015 – surely, by now, the queer community doesn’t need to have to ‘raise awareness’ about LGBT+ issues? Unfortunately, although we’ve come a long way as a society (can someone wave a rainbow flag and cheer for equal marriage rights as they read this, please?), there are day-to-day ignorances and aggressions towards members of the LGBT+ community, which can easily be dispelled with a little education, and some free tea and Skittles. (Seriously. I ate my weight in them.) Jokes about excessive Skittle consumption aside, though, it is important to raise awareness because we still have a long way to go. One of the best things about LGBT+ Awareness week (in my experience, anyhow) has been the extent to which people involved, both volunteers and the general student community/public have engaged in an open and honest dialogue. This week has given people the chance to say things they’d find awkward in another scenario; to ask questions they’d otherwise be afraid to ask, and learn about things they might not necessarily go out of their way to find out about ordinarily. And just talking about issues such as homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, hate crimes against the LGBT+ community, the challenges facing LGBT+ people, and the relationship between LGBT+ and religion is a massive step towards making our society more inclusive to EVERYONE, regardless of gender or sexuality. In tackling ignorance and educating people about the sub-communities which fall under the big queer umbrella (which MUST be rainbow-striped, come on), we have a chance to not only explain

the other members of the same queer community, and find out how best to support each other. I’ve definitely learnt a lot this week, especially about the ‘+’ sexualities – I feel as though everyone has something to gain from this week. The LGBT+ Awareness week has allowed us to raise money for the Albert Kennedy Trust; a brilliant charity that works in Newcastle upon Tyne, Manchester and London to support LGBT+ youths in crisis situations where they may be facing homelessness/be in danger due to their sexuality. From the RAG week fashion show to selling cakes and t-shirts for AKT, we’ve managed to support the wonderful work they do and raise awareness about their projects. One of the moments that touched me this week (and which, I think, will stay with me forever) took place after I and a friend nervously delivered a talk about Bisexuality to a room full of far more people than we’d ever believed could make it to a talk late on a Wednesday afternoon. I was approached by a friend, who’d brought another questioning friend to our talk. Following it, they’d talked frankly about sexuality; and cited our 45 minute presentation (fraught with technical difficulties as it may have been) as the reason why they’d been comfortable enough to talk about something as important as coming out. Hearing that has made this whole week mean a lot more to me. Sadly, when it comes to the LGBT+ community, it’s not all sweetness and light, putting people at ease and making them comfortable. One of the important aspects of LGBT+ Awareness is also to raise awareness of the countless LGBT+ lives lost; and a memorial stall was dedicated to remembering some of the LGBT+ youth whose lives ended tragically. Raising awareness isn’t just about the LGBT+ community here in the UK, it’s also about the LGBT+ people who live in countries that impose a death penalty or prison sentences upon LGBT+ individuals. It’s about ending the oppression and indignities suffered by LGBT+ people everywhere. It’s about reaching out to suicidal teens the world over and showing them that we can build a world that means it does get better. It’s a small step, having an LGBT+ awareness week at Newcastle University. But it’s something. And it’s something pretty important.

Image: Matt Horne

No tolerance for proposed ‘anti-gay’ amendment The DUP claims its ‘conscience clause’ will protect religious freedoms, but it simply reinforces segregation and oppression

Daniel Roberston

ith ‘anti-gay’ legislation proposed by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) causing controversy in recent months in Northern Ireland, it first appeared that we should fasten our seatbelts for a head on collision of devastating effect for the LGBT+ community and the fight for equality. In reality it seems that mass opposition leading up to the closing of the public consultation of the bill this past Friday will most likely leave the this so-called ‘conscience clause’ dead in the water by pro-Equality political groups and global petitioning - and too right. We owe this thinly veiled attempt to legalise discrimination of the LGBT community to DUP MLA Paul Givan in the wake of controversy over the Equality Commission’s decision to take civil legal action against the religious Ashers Bakers

Company in Belfast for refusing to bake a cake that promoted same-sex marriage. Who’d have thought that a Bert and Ernie cake would tip the balance in modern politics, eh? The DUP introduced the Private Member’s Bill in late December 2014 to add an ‘anti-gay’ clause to its equality laws that would give businesses the right to refuse the service of those in the LGBT+ community – whether being in the form of renting a house, or merely sitting in a restaurant. Givan had this clause tabled into the Northern Ireland Assembly for those with “strongly held” religious beliefs within Northern Ireland to be exempt from adhering to the current equality laws (warning: incoming sarcasm) because inequality

clauses within equality laws makes sense, right? Of course! Because that’s in no way going to lead to discrimination under the guise of religion, is it? Of course not! This is on the grounds that no-one should feel they should “endorse same sex sexual relationship in violation of his/her own faith identity.” Of course religious belief systems need to be respected in a state of equality but the proposed legislation has been likened to a “proposal of victimisation towards the LGBT community” by Sinn Fein supporters and offers no social progression towards equality; it in fact promotes and legalises discrimination, segregation and oppression – what good would come of it?

“This is a thinly veiled attempt to legalise discrimination against the LGBT community”

The clause has ensued angry responses by critics – as it should – with the All Out Action Fund, launched on February 23 being just one of many worldwide petitions that have gained considerable support. Within just 48 hours, this particular petition gathered over 100,000 signatures across the world – most notably the US and Australia, with 30,000 coming from Northern Ireland itself to stop the bill. Pro-equality politicians from Sinn Fein and the Green Party as well as other parties in Northern Ireland have rallied together to put a stop to the amendment to which has been forecasted by the Equality Commission to have highly discriminative effects to the LGBT+ welfare and “weaken [its] protection” if it was enabled. Feedback on this amendment was closed this past Friday February 27 and time will tell on its outcome but the current projection is that it has been stamped out by the tides of pro-equality opposition.

10.comment

SOAP BOX

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Murder on the dancefloor WHQ’s classless response to the Tab’s ‘ticketgate’ article just alienates more clubbers Image: Mark Richardson @ Flickr

ONLINE SHOPPING Even if you’re not an avid internet-shopper, considering the huge amount of tickets for nights out, trains etc. that are now bought online I imagine most readers will have used the Internet to purchase something at least once in the last week. There are countless different websites that we end up buying off in a standard month: RA, Trainline, WHQ, Digital, Cosmic, Viagogo, Seatwave, etc. And for every single bloody one, you have to create an account. And it really pisses me off. It is also completely futile, it is far quicker to just mark the email with your attached ticket as flagged in your inbox than it is to log back in online and download it again. For frequent purchases, like train tickets, I can see the appeal in logging in again and paying faster next time. But the fact I have an account with ‘Bristol Ticket Shop’ when I don’t even go to Bristol, because I went to visit a friend and had to purchase a ticket for a night there, pisses me off no end. Antonia Cundy

LAD CULTURE Whilst lad culture professes to be heterosexual at it’s very core, I’m sure no one’s failed to notice how homoerotic it can often be. Last night’s repeat of Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents showed they went out with the intent of sleeping with every human that had compatible genitalia, but before hand, the “lads” piled on top of each other completely naked in their hotel room whilst feeding each other alcohol. But no homo, just a bit of banter. At LSE, the rugby society were banned from the union for referring to women as “netball slags” amongst other things. The first article I found defending the “rugby lads” in question had as the featured picture a group of men sitting around trouserless with a drink in one hand and each other’s crotches in the other. But no homo again. You all have your favourite example. I wonder how this homoerotic behaviour became infused with the aggressive desire to express staunch heterosexuality, but I feel like I can guess. And this elite group of uppermiddle class “I smoked weed once” morons would probably be aghast if they found a homosexual within their ranks. Matt Corden

DRESSGATE It’s physically impossible to have a Faceboook or Twitter account and not to have heard about the raging ongoing debate as to what colour “that dress” is. Actually, as it turns out, it is blue and black (it feels good to be vindicated). As tedious as it might be, I thought it was extremely fascinating. We’re supposed to throw away information about the surrounding light and focus on the actual object. That normally works well to allow us to see colour in bright light, but the bright light in the background of this particular picture seems to be throwing us off. There’s a theory that goes something like this: all colours are relative and daylight can often affect colour perception. Daylight changes colour throughout the day, and the neuroscientist Bevin Conway says that people overcompensate for the bias of the daylight axis we’ve evolved to see in. Some people discount the golden colour and hence see blue and black, some people discount the blue and see white and gold. Don’t worry, it took me ages to understand it too. Matt Corden

“T

Joseph Tetlow

icketgate”, born out of a Valentine’s night heartbreak at World Headquarters, involves the loss of no love between the most prominent of protagonists. In a piteous and tedious online trolling, the WHQ owner and “Resident DJ” locked horns with the Editor of the Tab. Its perverted and prevaricating tentacles have clumsily molested facts, harassing us to an coma induced by literary boredom. The initial controversy surrounds the reselling of WHQ tickets, but you may be forgiven for thinking it was Crohn’s disease, auctioned in Freddo wrappers to unsuspecting nursery-kids, what with the hyperbole. So pardon me for exacerbating the situation further, but some objectivity needs to be shed. WHQ “Resident DJ”, omniscient deity and stalwart of writing in third person (despite the familiar minority of one), redefines the meaning of “ego”, in what can only be described as the New Testament on self-crucifixion. The bible-length bullying rant can be found on the World Headquarters website, for those whose paint has dried already. Amid the

Leave Madonna alone, you phillistines

adonna, and her decisive loss in her battle against both capes and the force of gravity, has been picked over fairly exhaustively now, so I’ll spare you any unnecessary contextual explanation (essentially: she fell on her arse, it was really funny, she finished her performance like the pro she is). Certainly, I don’t think it’s unfair to point out that the sight of someone falling backwards down some stairs onto their arse is an inherently funny thing and should be lauded as such. If we’ve got to the year 2015, after two million years of human evolution, and the sight of someone falling over on their arse is still funny then I’d say that makes it a totally imperishable comedy staple. However, the opprobrium which tends to undercut everything that Madonna’s done since Confessions on a Dancefloor in 2005 (a bona fide classic, FYI), and which has roared back once again since capegate, is usually based around her apparently appalling vulnerability to the passing of time. ‘She’s too old to be doing that sort of thing’ is a pretty regular non-opinion trotted out whenever she dares to bring out an album. I’d argue that quite apart from it being weaponsgrade bullshit that you should attack someone for anything they can’t control, Madonna was always several steps ahead of her contemporaries. To carry on being Madonna, she needs to keep trying to out-edge everyone, and that obviously comes with risks to one’s dignity. If she stops taking risks (i.e. wearing capes) she’ll stop being Madonna and the world of pop will implode. Do you really want that? No? Right, well give it a rest then. Tom Nicholson

sloppy dissertation of misspelled dross, the Enter the Dragon metaphor was zenith; the rest could have been written by a dyslexic Dodo on meth. Even I can manufacture such relevant musical references, like ‘‘God is a DJ” by Faithless; which would, perhaps, have been more appropriate, pertinent and equally laced with irony. “The Dragon” in this script, Ms Eckert and the Tab, are far from blameless actors. Their proclivity for sensationalism is driven by a thirst for website hits; accurate reporting is often secondary or sidelined. In this instance, however, the fire-breathing red-tops had barely singed a balding hair when DJ Pied Piper smelt a rat, and didn’t really like it. The wickedly portrayed “News Anchor’s” objection was not with the principle of the defensible policy, but the result. Many students did fall victim (despite the pied piper’s protestations), not to “scalpers”, but to a system which would not permit entry on an absent friend’s ticket, market value or otherwise. The fate of the victim was often compounded, in desperation, by the purchase of an £8 upstairs ticket. Not only were they treated to a pungent love-den fashioned out of strawberry laces, they got the celestial “Resident DJ” himself on the turntables. What fun.

The passive aggressive attempt to intimidate and ridicule the patronised “News Anchor” may be seen by some as part of the ‘underground’ psyche of the club, but to the more mentally stable, it shocked. That’s for you to decide. But for a club that so overtly promotes equality, they may want to urgently check their claptrap dictionary for “thinly disguised” and “misogyny”. I say “they”, but the collective is really a fabrication under the guise of a website. If you want to personally attack someone, at least have the “plums” to take responsibility. The “smacked bottie” in the web address screams maturity like a foetus, while the embarrassingly ironic cartoon slates the freepress. All that was needed was a short apology to the disappointed customers and proportionality in defence of the system. “Ticket-gate”, though, has morphed into a shambolic hate campaign, with the “Resident DJ” publicly defecating at his own club door. In the delusional haze of hot-boxed paranoia, the hand that feeds him has been truly bitten. If he alienates any more of his loyal customers, the next Valentine’s night at Curtis Mayfield House will be spent cosying up to the paying “scalpers” and richkid “toff ’s” he so hates.

Fur heaven’s sake, leave the coyotes out of fashion

Ellie Smith

espite a price tag ranging between $4801000, the Canadian outerwear company Canada Goose has become one of the most recognisable brands of the season and there’s no shortage of their presence on campus.

“Temperatures in Newcastle do not fall anywhere near arctic conditions, so is real fur really necessary?”

What many people aren’t aware of is the mass pain and suffering thousands of wild coyotes go through in the production of these coats. Whilst leg hold traps are still legal in Canada, valid concerns remain regarding the ethics of his method; the animal often remains in the trap frightened and in pain for days before being retrieved. Many animals become dehydrated, starve and in some cases have been found to chew off their own limbs. Canada Goose have not thus far made the switch to synthetic fur products, claiming that coyote fur ‘doesn’t freeze’ and provides warmth ‘in a way no synthetic fabric can’. From my recollection, the temperature this winter in Newcastle did not fall anywhere near ‘artic’ conditions, therefore I question; is real fur really necessary?

The Courier

comment.11

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Do we have the right to use animals for medical testing?

Tuition fees cuts aren’t all they’re cracked up to be Labour’s pledge might sound seductive, but it’s not all good news

After last week’s front page story on the Uni’s past experiments on baboons, Jamie George and David Leighton debate the ethics of animal testing The problem that I have is that, whilst I appreciate there have been benefits, I simply do not believe that humanity has any right to cause suffering and trauma to animals. We have been lucky enough to evolve with higher intelligence, but for me that is all it is - luck. Just because we have the choice to put animals in harm’s way rather than ourselves does not give us the right to. Unfortunately, it is much more difficult to convince somebody to willingly subject themselves to this kind of testing than it is to pluck a mouse out of the woods because it can’t say no. As far as I’m concerned, if you are treating a human disease, than it should be tested on humans. Jamie George

But that still doesn’t explain why we couldn’t test these things on humans rather than animals. If somebody had a terminal illness, or can’t bear to see their elderly relative deteriorating, and they know that an experimental medicine may have a chance to help them, then what would they have to lose? It’s more risky sure, but when it comes to life or death, perhaps risky is necessary. I just don’t believe that to bring about the end of suffering it is justifiable to cause unnecessary suffering to animals. I can understand the viewpoint that as humans, we should look out primarily for own species. However, being human also means that we have a choice, and just because we happen to have evolved with intelligence, we have no right to disrupt the lives of those who weren’t Jamie George so lucky.

YES

Whilst, objectively, I morally and ethically agree that testing on animals for any purpose – even medical – is wrong, I also bear the burden of wondering whether, for some people, it is a necessary evil. Testing on animals as a medical alternative to testing on human beings is, to some people, a necessity for improving the lives of – say – elderly people suffering from Alzheimer’s, meaning I struggle with the moral justification of hindering something which could progress quality of life. David Leighton

YES

You’re right, I don’t think we do, but if we don’t have the right to do that then to me it becomes a process of realising that I also don’t have the right to stop other human beings doing it, when the endgame is to save lives. Animal testing for medical purposes should be strictly regulated, and never considered anything other than unjustifiably wrong. It should be something which is only allowed to be done until better methods have evolved. It should invoke the only appropriate feeling – shame – whenever it is thought of. Politically? I would vote no to testing; but I couldn’t tell a person whose life has been saved, or whose family member given an extra five years of full mental capacity before declining into a complete lack of, that they shouldn’t vote yes. David Leighton

Bankers of the world repent

A discussion following the recent crisis concerning HSBC’s tax dodging Minister would do about the ‘tax avoidance activiThomas Montague ties of Lord Fink’. Rather than the laborious repeti-

ontroversy has rocked HSBC, Europe’s biggest bank, over the last two weeks, since more than 50 media outlets revealed that the company’s Swiss arm had helped wealthy customers avoid paying taxes and hidden millions of dollars worth of assets. According to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the dodgy practises covered 30,000 accounts, holding around $120 billion of assets. The scandal was further exacerbated last week when it was revealed that the UK’s HMRC had known about the tax avoidance since 2010, but had decided it wasn’t worth investigating as it ‘wasn’t in the public interest’. That is in spite of the government ruthlessly cracking down on the £1.2 billion that is fraudulently claimed in benefits each year. So why doesn’t the government believe that it is worth investigating HSBC? One of the reasons behind this reasoning could be that the Chief Executive of the bank at the time, Stephen Green, is now Lord Green and is a Conservative Trade Minister in the House of Lords, following the election of David Cameron in 2010. Included on the list of rich individuals who had accounts with HSBC are a number of Conservative donors, peers and MPs, such as Lord Fink and Zac Goldsmith. According to a Guardian article, the Tories have raised as much as £5 million from people included on the list. At times, the fallout from this murky episode has reached farcical levels, with Labour leader Ed Miliband claiming that Cameron is a ‘dodgy Prime Minister’, before claiming that he is surrounded by ‘dodgy donors’ as well as asking what the Prime

tion of the word ‘dodgy’, it seemed Lord Fink took offence at these accusations by Miliband, as he later threatened to sue the Labour leader. On the international stage, HSBC’s tax avoidance schemes have been met with an explosive response. France has reclaimed £188 million in taxes and fines, Spain has reclaimed £220 million and Australia has reclaimed £15 million. Meanwhile, in potentially more damaging news for the bank, the governments of France, Belgium, Spain, the US and Argentina are launching legal proceedings over the breach of tax avoidance laws. The British government, on the other hand, has reclaimed £135 million over the last 5 years and have, to date, only prosecuted one individual. It has not threatened HSBC with any form of legal action. HSBC’s response to this scandal? So far, they have claimed that their Swiss branch was not fully integrated into HSBC, thus allowing ‘significantly lower’ standards and diligence. While this would, perhaps, be understandable if HSBC had only brought the Swiss branch in the last couple of years, the bank actually made the purchase in 1999- surely this is a long enough period of time to ensure higher standards? Personally, I would urge the UK government to use all the tools at its disposal to reclaim the tax it is owed by these tax avoiding individuals, to set an example if nothing else. This example is needed because it is estimated that in total, among all the banks, around £120 billion is owed to the UK in unpaid taxes. Perhaps making an example of HSBC will scare the other banks into changing their behaviour. I doubt the government will go after HSBC though. It wouldn’t be in their own interests.

Victoria Armstrong

n a wholly unsurprising move, Ed Miliband has revealed Labour’s policies on tuition fees which would see them being cut to £6000 per annum from the academic year starting in 2016. Apparently, this will be fully funded by making cuts to the tax relief on pensions contributions and will ultimately save the taxpayer £40bn in just 14 years. Whilst this is a policy that has been vaguely referred to since the current coalition government’s formation in 2010, this is Labour’s first official pledge to it following rumoured discontent between high-level Labour party members. Many think that this news will be a welcome relief to students, and allow Labour to attract much of the voters who may have been previously attracted by the Liberal Democrat’s policies on university fees. One can only hope it does not. Realistically, although unpopular, tuition fees are a necessity and Labour’s attitude reflects this. One should ask: if they really thought tuition fees should not exist, then why are they not pledging to reduce them to the roughly £3000 they were before the increase or even eliminate them entirely? The simple answer is it is not economically viable or indeed necessary. Universities are reporting that they are not experiencing any decrease in applications from prospective students generally, or from those from lower-income households specifically. Clearly, through student loans and maintenance grants, everyone continues to have access to higher education, which was one of the key fears in raising fees. Some complain that although there is access, they are still being straddled with five figure debts. Admittedly, this is not a consideration I can claim to have ever understood. After all, if you wanted a car or a computer or anything else, you wouldn’t expect the Government to pay for it for you. University is an investment. Students are attending for the benefits of higher education including higher salaries, access to jobs which require degrees, such as medicine, and the personal enjoyment from learning. Generally speaking, it is the individual who enjoys these benefits and thus why should it not be the same individual who pays for it? An argument is sometimes made that it is beneficial to society to have graduates and this is undoubtedly true, but the graduate job market is already saturated. Forty years ago when only 2% or so of people attended university, a strong case could be made for the subsidisation of fees, but now there isn’t a shortage and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) degrees tend to have many more scholarships available than the humanities. It may be a humbling thought, but really society isn’t going to benefit from this new generation of lawyers, historians, geographers and what not. And again, you have to think that the Labour party, on some level, understand this too. Perhaps the only redeeming aspect of Labour’s higher education policy is to increase maintenance grants by £400 for socio-economically disadvantaged students, meaning the maximum grant available would be £3800. These grants are a far better way of ensuring equal access to universities rather than just slashing fees across the board. It means that those who cannot pay get help, whilst the significant proportion of people who can pay fees and living costs do so. After all, why should a Government, already in huge debt, pay for people to attend university when they could do so and would do so anyway? Unfortunately, what Labour’s policy doesn’t really address (nor do any parties really) is the issue of debt being written off if it can’t be paid. Whilst they state that reducing fees will improve that situation, it doesn’t really deal with the heart of the issue. Really, Labour would have done well to try and tackle that point to improve what is quite a dire, albeit unsurprising, manifesto.

ELECTIONS VOTING OPEN MONDAY 3PM TO THURSDAY 12PM EDUCATION OFFICER THEJUS BADRINATH TOM GORDON My Aim: To ensure all students receive practical, innovative and successful education. I believe that the standard of education is possibly the most important factor in a student’s decision to study at Newcastle University. In my time at Newcastle University, I understood that we can certainly make improvements and I would love to be an active member in that process. My goal is to provide greater educational support and guidance to improve educational experience at Newcastle University. I am an honest, open minded and straightforward person with clear goals in mind.

ELIE HOWES

My name is Elie Howes and I want to be your education officer! I am a third year history and politics student and have been a course and school rep throughout my time at university. This means that I have had much experience in representing my fellow students on a wide range of issues and conveying their views to the appropriate people. Now, I would like your vote to help me become the education officer to make your academic experience as good as it can be. VOTE ELIE HOWES FOR EDUCATION #1 If I were to be elected, I would aim to do the following: Create a student bookshop on campus, run by students for students, buying and selling second hand books from students to students. Increase course rep awareness, so all students know who to talk to when they have a problem. Make all students aware of where their fees are going.

MATT PRICE

I’m Matthew Price and I’m your ideal candidate to be the next Education Officer! I feel that my experience in a variety of representational roles alongside my enthusiasm and creativity will drive beneficial changes in our University. Help me to help you and vote Matthew Price for Education! #1 I propose to introduce policies in these key areas FEEDBACK Return of your exam scripts Provide examples of first class and third class exam answers FACILITIES More free course materials across courses as an incentive for high attendance More facilities, more library space! More RECAP YOUR EDUCATION Lecture content about what employability relates to what you’re learning Working with the Careers service to send tailored emails to individual schools regarding further study Dates of absence of lecturers available to all Increase the support network for students during

From my experience at Newcastle University, most of the students find it difficult and face lots of challenges in their course, especially international students who find it difficult in a completely new environment. I believe that students need help and support in various aspects of their education. I assure to all the students of Newcastle University that I would actively take part and will provide quality education. All my decisions will be transparent and be an open decision to all the students of our university. I will make sure that I bridge a gap between students and professors.

2015

Your Education Officer represents YOU, and it’s so important that your voice is heard. That’s why I’ve talked to hundreds of students to put together this manifesto. A vote for Tom is a vote for: · Making your money go further – an NUSU textbook recycling scheme, facilitating graduating students to leave their textbooks behind for others to use. · Helping you improve. Exam scripts returned to students- enabling you to see where you can improve in the future. · Giving you the tools you need. Lecture Recap for every student- no matter what your course or year or study. · Telling you what you need to know – improving the assessment process to give you feedback that is accurate, relevant, and timely. · Putting you at the centre of your Union. An NUSU mobile app - filled with information about events, news, and offers to enable you to get the

most out of your university experience. Why Tom? I’ve experience on: Freshers’ Crew RAG Crew NUSU Education Executive Steering Committee Welfare & Campaigns Executive Questions about my policies, my experience, or even my favourite food (tiramisu)? Email me at t.gordon@ncl.ac.uk or tweet me at @tag2602

Hi, I’m Nicholl Lynch and I’m campaigning to be your Education Officer to represent you. Throughout my time at university I have gained a thorough understanding of the issues affecting you and your educational experience. From funding and feedback to accessing books, I aim to make life easier for every single student! Here are some of my key aims: Easy access to books: - I will make every essential readings for all lectures and seminars available ebook form so students always have access! - I will create a university ran book shop which operates a book buy back scheme for all courses! Better feedback: - I will ensure exam scripts given back for feedback! - I will ensure students always receive clearer and more detailed feeback on all assignments and exams! Postgraduate community: - I will introduce a new welcome week for post-

graduates to help settle in to university life! Improved employment prospects: - I will make one-year placements an option to all undergraduate degrees to improve employment prospects - I will ensure more support is available when searching for a placement abroad and in the UK. So please don’t forget to vote #1 Nicholl for Education Officer! :)

NICHOLL LYNCH Make Recap a regular feature of all lectures to help students utilize all resources available to ensure the best chance of success. Increase the speed and amount of feedback that students receive on assessed work but also increase the use of non-assessed work.

MARIIA SKICHKO times of lecturer absence YOUR SCHOOL An anonymous board on blackboard to raise issues with course reps Raise awareness to course reps in the ways they can improve their school #ThePriceIsRight

Hello, I’m Maria and I want to be your Education Officer! ABOUT ME I’m Course Representative of MA Media and Public Relations, mentor for international students and take active part in volunteering on communicating with potential students of Newcastle University. Also I held advisory sessions for new international students. WHAT DO I STAND FOR · Provide reliable personal tutor support for making students feel confident in their work · Loyal and friendly feedback to all assignments, to decrease stress during studying process · Provide 24/7 comfort studying spaces close to student accommodations · Being able to book study spaces online · Make international students easier adopt to education system WHY ME?

I have been actively involved in students` representation since I came to Newcastle University. I strongly believe that listening is the most important part for insight of students` issues. My practise in NUSU makes me willing to implement students’ wants in action. In order that I could use all my experience, enthusiasm and passion to lead for the changes you want to see and ensure that your voice and opinions are taken on board and listened to. Vote for MARIIA SKICHKO as your new Education Officer!

PRESIDENT OF THE UNION SOPHIE BARCLAY Hey Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Sophie and I can be your President! My three years here have been brilliant because of my involvement in the Union. I want to ensure that this is the case for all students and create a real sense of community around campus! I love it here, but that is why I know some things have to change. I want more inclusion of students in their union! Have we met?: Âˇ President of the Riding Club Âˇ RAG Supervisor Âˇ Freshers Crew Âˇ TCTV Society Spotlight producer Âˇ Course Rep Âˇ Student Council Âˇ Student Ambassador for three years Âˇ Hitch-hiked to Croatia as part of the Hitch Society Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get to business: Âˇ Create a Union that has the students as its heart and soul. Âˇ Improve food and drink options in cooperation with relevant societies. Âˇ Academic credit for extra-curricular activities. Âˇ A NUSU app that gives you â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Deals of the Dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for

Mensbar and the Union shop. Keeping you notified

on events from the Union, clubs and societies. Âˇ A festival that celebrates our students! Inviting the local community and employers to see the work that we achieve across the year! Âˇ Striving for a greener and more sustainable campus. A union run by yoU! Vote Sophie #1 for President!

MARIA CASE

Hello, my name is Maria Case! I am standing in the election for the President role and I want YOUR vote. I believe I am the best person for the President role because I am conscientious, dedicated and determined. I am certain that as your President I would make real changes happen to positively benefit YOU, the students of Newcastle University. Your Union is here to represent you and to serve you in the community, which is something I want to strive to improve. This is why you should VOTE for me, Maria Case: CHOOSE a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;buzzingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union with more live music events in Mensbar and vibrant student art spaces for exhibitions, performances and cultural events. CHOOSE a fun and interesting NUSU presence on social media for current and prospective students. CHOOSE collaboration with Newcastle University societies by NUSU holding society day events, increasing awareness of societies and increasing society funding. CHOOSE an improved relationship between students and the community.

DOM FEARON

Hi, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Dom Fearon and I want to be your next Student Union President. My time at Newcastle has been fantastic, and I want you to have the same experience. Why me? - Been a part of the Athletic Union for two years and have represented on several tours. - A member of NU:DJ since joining in Freshers. - Been involved in RAG and Fresherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s week. - Took a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work placement. My ideas Showcasing Students I want to bring more student talent into the Union, with regular spots for our very own societies (NUTS, Dance, NU:DJ etc.) as well as showcasing our massive international talent. Healthy Campus I want all students to have access to a variety of sports opportunities. I want the performance athletes of Team Newcastle to be able to fulfil their potential and I aim to increase the provision of rehabilitation services. Productive Study Environments

MATT BROWN

Hey! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Matt Brown, a third year Maths and Stats student and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running to be your Student Union President for next year. In an ever growing, ever changing university campus, I want to be the one who represents you in all key decisions, whilst being a part of the best student city in the UK. What are my plans? If elected I will make sure that t Ä&#x2021;F VOJPO JT B NPSF BÄ&#x152;PSEBCMF BOE FOKPZBCMF place for all students t "T NBOZ TUVEFOUT BT QPTTJCMF IBWF TQBDF UP TUVEZ in peace on campus t $MVCT BOE 4PDJFUJFT IBWF NPSF IFMQ JO SVOOJOH alternative events t $IBSJUBCMF HSPVQT UISPVHIPVU UIF VOJWFSTJUZ IBWF their greater publicity throughout the union Why me? t * BN UIF DVSSFOU 1SFTJEFOU PG .BUI4PD .BUIT society) t $PNNJUUFF NFNCFS GPS UIF #BLJOH 4PDJFUZ t 'SFTIFST 8FFL $SFX NFNCFS t &YDFMMFOU LOPXMFEHF PG UIF VOJWFSTJUZ UISPVHI

helping on open days as well as tours of Newcastle as a city. t 1MBZFE JOUSB NVSBM TQPSU JO GPPUCBMM T T BOE 11â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s t 1FFS NFOUPS GPS Ä&#x2022;STU ZFBS TUVEFOUT I am always happy to talk to anyone who has concerns or queries about my manifesto so please get in touch. m.s.t.brown@newcastle.ac.uk

KATE DEWEY

CHOOSE more internships and volunteer work projects with local businesses and charities, increased student employability and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pop-upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; events for local businesses at the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union. CHOOSE more student entrepreneur opportunities and support. CHOOSE interactive and exciting NUSU student politics.

I want to lobby the University for more creative library space. I also would like healthier food options and access to water fountains to help with stressful study periods. If you want a President that is passionate, fun and there for you. VOTE FEARON FOR PRESIDENT

WILL HERBERT Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Will Herbert and I want to be your next NUSU President. My experience: t 3"( $PNNJUUFF NFNCFS t $PVSTF 3FQ t 4UVEFOU "NCBTTBEPS t 3"( $SFX t 'SFTIFST $SFX My aims: 1) A Students Union that supports you

Hi, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Kate and I would love to be your next President. Who am I? t Ä&#x2021;JSE ZFBS &OHMJTI -JU TUVEFOU t /FXT &EJUPS GPS Ä&#x2021;F $PVSJFS o FOBCMJOH BO PVUMFU voicing student opinions. I think this is essential, and representing your voices would be my priority as President. t 1SFWJPVT 4PDJBM 4FDSFUBSZ GPS 4PDJBM 5FOOJT 4Pciety Why vote Kate Dewey? t :063 bbb I would look to help with the hidden costs of university. E.g. everyone receiving a subsidy helping with the cost of textbooks and materials. I would advocate an early release of reading lists so students can source these as cheaply as possible. t :063 &7&/54 I want to make the SU a more beneficial place for societies, making it easier for them to utilise the spaces available. To further its position as the hub of student events and campaigns. t :063 $0..6/*5: I would strive to improve the ISB survey result that

only 65% of international students felt they had formed close relationships with home students by creating more events, increasing the prominence of peer buddies, and introducing an international student rep. To work closely with SCAN and increase volunteering opportunities. Vote DEWEY for PRESIDENT :) (please)

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Charlotte Gower and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m campaigning to be the next President of your SU. I want to create a University experience that is tailored to the students and accessible to all, to ensure that you can get the most out of your union! Who Am I? Â&#x192; 3"( $SFX 4VQFSWJTPS Â&#x192; 'SFTIFS T $SFX Â¨ Active member of the Theatre Society and NSR IPTU What Could I Do for You? 1. Make NUSU more about you - Ensure sabbatical officers are free for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;surgery hoursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, giving you access to your representatives - Make it easier to book rooms and areas in the Union - Maximise the potential of the Union by reorganising social spaces )FMQ ZPV HFU UISPVHI 6OJWFSTJUZ BOE CFZPOE - Raise the profile of the Student Support Wellbeing Services - Introduce employability workshops to help with

the next steps after University - Bigger and better job fairs 4VQQPSU ZPV PÄ&#x152; $BNQVT - More Night Buses, running later - Create a peer review system for student housing to help with the move from halls Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve enjoyed every second of my time here and I want to make sure you can too.

CHARLOTTE GOWER

t *OUSPEVDUJPO PG B 4UVEFOU )PVTJOH 'BJS HJWJOH students the opportunity liaise with landlords and letting agencies, and learn from student experiences. t 4VQQPSU TUVEFOU UBMFOU BOE FOUFSQSJTF CZ HJWJOH students the opportunity to sell their products on campus at a student trade fair. t .PSF DPOTJTUFOU TUVEFOU GFFECBDL BDSPTT EFHSFF programme modules. " 4UVEFOUT 6OJPO UIBU JT DPOOFDUFE XJUI UIF community t *ODSFBTFE QVCMJDJUZ BOE DPNNVOJDBUJPO PG UIF Students Union in the wider community. t *NQSPWF 4UVEFOUT 6OJPO FOHBHFNFOU BOE DPN-

munication though the increased awareness of sabbatical officer blogs. t (JWF TPDJFUJFT UIF DIBODF UP FOHBHF XJUI MPDBM community through society-led public engagement events. " 4UVEFOUT 6OJPO UIBU UIBU DBSFT BCPVU UIF FOvironment t 8PSL XJUI UIF DPVODJM UP JNQSPWF UIF DZDMF MBOF links to campus making it safer and easier to travel to University as well as more bike racks on campus t &OFSHZ TBWJOH IFMQ BOE TVQQPSU GPS TUVEFOUT MJWing in private accommodation. Vote Will Herbert for President

PRESIDENT OF THE UNION ADAM LATCHFORD

About me: President of Comedy Society. Secretary of Poker Society. Host of Rag events. Competed in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rise Upâ&#x20AC;? contests for three years. On Student Staff Committee for three years. Engaged with the local community through both paid and voluntary jobs. Manifesto: More study space on campus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The pop up library should not just be there during term time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using this and allowing people to know of unused lecture theatres that can be supervised for revision will create a more spacious working environment. Combatting Lad Culture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Creating a more friendly environment for all genders, races and cultures by informing society committees of student union reporting processes for people who have suffered any form of harassment. Creating an â&#x20AC;&#x153;On Campusâ&#x20AC;? app â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Coffee locations, map, computers, food, drink, and any other wanted information available in an

easy to use, constantly updated app. Also â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Changing Shag Week to a sexual health and guidance clinic on campus. Healthy eating option added to the Student Union including vegetarian options. Student night bus to run longer. Adding a cash machine to the library. Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fair to be elongated with more interaction from societies. Vote for Adam Latchford for president at www. nusu.co.uk/vote!

MAX THIENEL

Hi, I am Max Thienel and I want to be your next PRESIDENT! EXPERIENCE President & Social Secretary of Erasmus Society 2012-2015 Course & School Rep at the Business School 20112015 Member of Student Council 2014-2015 Elected National Union of Students Delegate 2015 THIS IS WHAT I PROPOSE: MAXâ&#x20AC;ŚENVIRONMENT Provide additional study space through extending opening hours of existing venues (e.g. Language Resource Centre) and schemes (i.e. year-round pop-up library). Arrange for more safe-storage facilities for bicycles across campus. MAXâ&#x20AC;ŚINTEGRATION Create a whole new, bespoke welcome week for Postgraduate students to showcase clubs, societies and opportunities for extracurricular involvement to them. Establish a scheme to financially reward societies and clubs that promote and enhance inclusion &

successfully diversify their membership. MAX...OPPORTUNITIES Allow students to gather officially accredited work experience through participation in short-term, meaningful and part-time projects at NUSU. (e.g. Marketing for Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Week) Make year-long work placements/years abroad available as an option for all undergraduate students as part of their degree â&#x20AC;&#x201C; because this will increase everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employability upon graduating. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a great time at Newcastle University. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to give back! VOTE MAX THIENEL #1 FOR PRESIDENT

ATHLETICS UNION OFFICER ANGUS TAYLOR CHARLOTTE WARREN ABOUT ME t SE :FBS (FPHSBQIZ 4UVEFOU t 4QPSU JT NZ NBJO QBTTJPO BOE JOUFSFTU t 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU BOE 'JSTU 5FBN QMBZFS GPS .FO T Football t * BN QBTTJPOBUF BCPVU HJWJOH FWFSZ NFNCFS PG every club the opportunity to enjoy sport and activities to the fullest extent. AIMS Participation Regardless of whether someone is a potential 1st team captain or somebody who wants to try out a new activity, I want to give you the best opportunity to get involved. Representation and AU Grants Whether you are a Performance Sport or a NonBUCS Club, I will aim to meet your needs by building on the work of the current and past AU Officers to deliver a fair representative AU grants allowance. Facilities "Ä&#x2122; FS NZ PXO FYQFSJFODFT PG TQPSU JO NZ ZFBST BU University and after speaking to numerous clubs I believe there is a great need for an improvement in

sports facilities. This is both in terms of an increase in quality and quantity. Training Kit I aim to have high quality, discounted kit available for all clubs that is ready to be worn as soon the season starts 5&".5":-03

The policies I believe make me the best candidate for your new Athletic Union Officer are: t 3FQSFTFOUBUJPO I will strengthen the contact between the AU committee and clubs to ensure students are getting the best from their union and that decisions are based on the clubs interests. t (SBOU TZTUFN I will ensure each club continues to be allocated grants fairly with emphasis on added bonuses to clubs who are improving and performing to a high standard. t 3FXBSET To provide rewards to clubs performing well along with those showing development/improvement by using an allocated amount of money for this. t 7BSJFUZ I will support a variety of clubs -using the grant system I will support smaller, more niche clubs in establishing themselves and aiding their growth. t %JTBCJMJUZ TQPSU QSPHSBNNF The AU is currently developing a disability sports programme. I aim to further develop and implement this with emphasis on involving as many

clubs as possible to ensure disabled and non-disabled students are participating together. t ,JU 4VQQMJFS QBSUOFSTIJQ The Executive Committee are in the process of finding a new kit supplier to provide a reliable and efficient service. I will monitor the supplier to ensure standards which are expected, are met and maintained.

GENDER EQUALITY OFFICER AUDREY KAMENI LUCY MORGAN Hello! I am Lucy Morgan and I am running to be :063 (FOEFS &RVBMJUZ 0Ä? DFS Experience: President of the Feminist Society 2014-15 Welfare and Campaigns committee member NUS Delegate 2015 Student Council 2014/2015 As President of the Feminist society I have made JU NZ BNCJUJPO UP TUSJWF GPS (&/%&3 &26"-*5: on campus. This has involved campaigning for free menstrual care, organising discussions about gender equality (including trans inclusivity) and working to implement sexual harassment policies. If I was your Gender Equality Officer I would orHBOJTF SFHVMBS ESPQ JOT UP IFBS GSPN :06 UP Ä&#x2022; OE out what you think needs to be changed on campus in order to make it a safer place for ALL students. There are also three main goals I would aim to achieve if elected as gender equality officer: Body Image workshops for all genders. The Succeed Foundation already gives some students the chance to become Peer Leaders and deliver workhops on body image and I would like to extend this service to more students. Consent workshops. I would like to work to make sexual consent workshops more available to societies and clubs should they be interested in partici-

pating. Implementation of Zero Tolerance policy to Sexual Harassment. The union currently does not effectively advertise and use this policy. If elected I would change it so the procedure for reporting sexual harassment was made clearer and so that students would be more encouraged to come forward. I am dedicated to achieving proper representation and will strive to make Gender Equality a reality on Newcastle University Campus. 705& -6$: .03("/

)J NZ OBNF JT "VESFZ ,BNFOJ B Ä&#x2022; STU ZFBS CJP medical sciences student and I am vying to be your Gender Equality Officer. I have been heavily inWPMWFE JO DBNQBJHOT BOE DIBSJUJFT BDSPTT UIF 6, aimed at raising awareness on gender equality issues. I strongly believe in gender cohesion and I will be very proud to be an officer of the Student Union, which does not advocate only womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights but promote fairness for both sexes, so no student has to experience prejudice because of their gender. :PV XJMM CF UIF NPTU JNQPSUBOU QFPQMF XIFO JU comes to fulfilling this role. I aim to build a strong bond with students by: * Ensuring that I can be contacted easily so I can hear each of your views and relay your suggestions across with confidence. * Introduce a blog on the student wellbeing website, provide regular drop in sessions and organise workshops or campaigns in order to raise awareness when needed. * I aim to work closely with the LGBT, welfare equality officers and the student wellbeing centre, so as to get a wider and better prospective on any issue that may affect you. :063 WPJDF :063 DIPJDF 7PUF GPS "VESFZ UP day.

WELFARE AND EQUALITY OFFICER LUKE ALLISON DANIELLE BARKER What would I aim to do as your Welfare and Equality Officer? Build on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Stressed out studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; students campaign t 'PDVT SFTPVSDFT BSPVOE FYBN XFFLT UP TVQQPSU you. Including workshops on revision and the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;want to work but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t workâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; scheme. t )BWF TUSFTT SFMJFG BDUJWJUJFT BSPVOE FYBNT F H bouncy castle outside the union, free coffee and snacks, chill out zones). Engage students t *OUSPEVDF *OUFSBDUJWF CJMM CPBSET JO MJCSBSJFT BOE computer clusters to let you know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on and so you can let us know what you think. Student Housing t $SFBUF B IPVTJOH TFBSDI EBUBCBTF XIFSF TUVEFOUT can rate their landlords and student homes so students know what they are getting into. t 1SPWJEF JOGPSNBUJPO BOE TVQQPSU UP TUVEFOUT mistreated by landlords (eg refusing to return deposit) Expand on S.H.A.G week and provide free contraceptives through the union all year Embrace diversity t 8PSL XJUI EJWFSTJUZ PÄ?DFST UP SBJTF BXBSFOFTT on issues relating to gender equality, racial equal-

ity, disabled students, LGBT students & international students. Tackle student mental health problems t 'BTUFS BOE FBTJFS UP BDDFTT DPVOTFMMJOH BU TUVEFOU wellbeing services t &BTJFS BDDFTT UP XFMMCFJOH NFNP T GPS 1&$ GPSNT So please, Vote Luke #1!

JESS BAYLEY

Hello, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Jess Bayley, a psychology student and this yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; RAG Officer, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to be your NEW GIRL Welfare and Equality Officer. HAPPIER - Working with charities to improve campaigns - Being RAG officer provides me with knowledge and experience of the union and links to charities which could aid campaigns STRONGER - Tackling lad culture, developing the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;good ladâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; campaign already underway - Work alongside AU Officer, increase sports teams to understanding and with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;good lad workshopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; HEALTHIER - Continuing a mental health campaign similar to those previous - Particular attention to menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental health, encourage men to talk about mental health SORTED - A â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rate your landlordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; campaign, students able to fill in survey with an honest opinion on their landlord, so others know what to expect - Continuing current campaign urging students not to rush into housing, providing a housing supplement - Working alongside Student Advice Centre and

hall reps to keep freshers calm My experience: Âˇ RAG Officer Âˇ Welfare and Campaigns committee Âˇ Student Blogger Âˇ Steering committee Âˇ Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Week Crew Âˇ British Science Festival, Building Manager I feel very passionately about this role & that I would excel if elected, so please vote Jess #1.

CATRIONA WAKTARE WAKTARE! Welfare! Âˇ Work with the University to try to provide greater access to University counselling, introduce optional screening for counselling and follow-ups Âˇ Help a Friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Campaign targeted at getting students to better assist fellow students in times of need, including training to spot certain behavioural signs Âˇ Improving the Student Wellbeing website Âˇ Promoting Nightline and its Instant Messaging service to students Âˇ Actively encouraging student health (mental, physical and sexual) Equality! Âˇ Building upon current efforts to introduce disability sports Âˇ Providing training for club and society committees regarding inclusivity, diversity and peer support Âˇ Providing support for minority groups including, but not limited, to female students in STEM subjects, international students and mature students Âˇ Offer an alternative drop-in session time and day (for students who participate in British Universities & Colleges Sport) My experience! Psychology School Rep Mind the Gap (Co-Chair of Local Healthcare Professionals Project Group) Nightline volunteer

Welfare and Campaigns Committee Former Psychology Society President Netball (University Squad and Intra-mural) Comedy Society member British Science Festival Assistant (Young Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Programme) When it comes to your welfare and equality â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who you gonna vote? WAKTARE!

Hello! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Danielle Barker and I hope to be your next Welfare and Equality Officer. If elected in this position my main goal is simply to represent the student population at Newcastle and fight to make the rest of your time at University happy, stress free and healthy. How I plan to do this: Access Âˇ Implement training days for volunteers from each subject school, society and halls, so that there is a greater representation throughout campus Campaigns â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Look after your mateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Campaign on Depression and Anxiety Âˇ Provide Information on how to support friends who suffer from depression and reduce the stigma attached to mental illness â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Come Togetherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Âˇ I want to work with the liberation societies to plan an all inclusive equality festival around campus, in the hope of raising awareness and endorsing equality. Zero Tolerance against Discrimination Policy Âˇ Develop a complaints procedure for students via a

forum on the student homepage for students to report any negative or discriminative behaviour been made towards them Why Vote for me? I am extremely passionate about this role and believe my natural empathic nature gives me the best skills need to succeed in being there for you!

REBECCA CHURCHILL Hi! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Becky Churchill & I need YOU to vote ME for Welfare & Equality Officer! I WILL: CREATE -Work clinic during exam season for workload & revision techniques -Cheaper food and hot drinks on campus -Welfare volunteers team during Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Week -A dedicated committee for SHAG week to ensure a focus on sex & relationships SUPPORT -Increase appointments and cut counselling waiting times & at Wellbeing Centre -Regular social events and conversation opportunities for students from around the world -Implement and publicise the Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harassment policy REPRESENT -Work to prioritise under-represented groups -Help societies voice issues that matter to them through representation at the Welfare & Campaigns Executive Committee CONNECT -Work with the Careers Service to address student concerns about graduate employment -Communicate with the Student Advice Centre to deliver advice straight to your door in halls -Encourage stress reduction through yoga, medita-

tion & casual sport Why me? Welfare and Campaigns Executive Committee 2014-2015 President and Vice-President of Feminist Society 2013-2015 Succeed Body Image Programme Peer Leader 2015 Student Council 2014-2015 RAG Crew Member 2015 Lad Culture and Sexual Harassment Task & Finish Group 2015 Member of Mind the Gap Society 2014-2015 VOTE BECKY!

RACIAL EQUALITY OFFICER SAFIYA ROBINSON

Hey! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Safiya Robinson and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running for Racial Equality Officer. I believe that achieving racial equality and maintaining progress takes continuous effort and attention and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m passionate about creating an actively anti-racist campus. WHY VOTE? I will ensure that there is A PLATFORM FOR BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC (BME) VOICES I will hold DROP-IN SESSIONS at regular intervals, encouraging open dialogue in a more personal setting Through my involvement with FemSoc I organ-

ised a series of events to raise awareness and show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the US. From this, both the NUS Black Delegates and Stand Up To Racism are eager to get involved with my further campaigns I work with Journey to Justice, A CREATIVE ARTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION ORGANISATION in the North East. I will act as the link between the local community and the University I WILL: Set up a VIBRANT NETWORK OF SOCIETIES AND INDIVIDUALS to work on issues concerning BME students Put pressure on the Union to CONSIDER A BME PERSPECTIVE DURING DECISION-MAKING as well as pushing for adequate representation Ensure that there is SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, particularly with regards to sensitive cultural exchange VOTE FOR SAFIYA!

EDITOR OF THE COURIER VICTORIA ARMSTRONG Hi, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Victoria Armstrong and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be your Editor of the Courier! I am a third-year law student and have been the Courierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comment editor for two years and a writer for three. Additionally, I have experience as an editor on the North East Law Review, a researcher for the Times and as Marketing Director for TCTV 2013-14. I have taken great pride in contributing to the Courier and believe that voting for me is voting for a stronger newspaper. Now, I want to use my experience and passion for journalism to be Editor and create the best Courier possible next year. As Editor, I will: - encourage stronger investigative news stories - ensure greater focus on university-related issues - Include both entertaining and thought-provoking content - promote more reporting on societies and their events - guarantee wider sports coverage for BUCS and inter-mural matches

- strengthen feature favourites, like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Blind Dateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - create a visually attractive paper - increase encouragement for aspiring writers - develop greater co-operation between the Courier, NSR and TCTV - ensure the Courier is appealing to ALL students Vote Victoria #1 for Editor of the Courier and help create a stronger student voice!

ROSIE BELLINI

Hi, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Rosie, the current Film Editor for The Courier and a regular writer for News, Lifestyle, Arts, TV, Film, Science and Gaming over the past three years. If elected, I would endeavour to: t &YQBOE $POUFOU -BVODI B TFQBSBUF UFSNMZ TUVdent-run publication showcasing student photography, alternative writing and other creative works. t 'PSN $MPTFS 5JFT UP 4PDJFUJFT OFX EPVCMF QBHF spread, made in partnership with societies, dedicated to covering events across the year, aiming to promote participation. t 3FEFTJHO 0OMJOF SFNPWF UIF DVSSFOU CMPH TUZMF and introduce daily content with a slick interface in line with major newspapers. t $VMUVSBM $PWFSBHF HSFBUFS JODMVTJPO PG JOUFSOBtional students through exposure of diverse cultural events across the North East, including broader cultural festivities. t 4USPOH %JWFSTF 4QPSUT DPOUJOVFE FYDFMMFOU GPcus on BUCS and intermural sports, and introduce better coverage of alternative sports. t 3FUBJO -BZPVU NBJOUBJO UIF IJHI TUBOEBSE PG WJT-

SOPHIE BAINES Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Sophie Baines, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been writing for the Courier throughout my time at university and have overseen the launch of the Gaming section as sub-editor. I have written for several publications including the Cuckoo Review and What Culture. What I aim to do Re-focus on student needs - Produce more mini-issues on top of main run to increase consistency out of term - Introduce Careers section, featuring interviews with alumni and prominent professionals - Condense overlapping sections to reduce content duplication - Celebrate student achievements and break Newcastle specific research stories Increase student participation - Hire online sub-editors in September and January to allow postgraduate and international students access to editing opportunities - Hold writing, editing and photography workshops to boost confidence for all content creators - Advertise on screens and posters around university throughout year to raise awareness of writing opportunities - Arrange conferences with student body to en-

gage and challenge Courier content Streamline production and paper itself - Increase exclusive online content - Further integrate TCTV and NSR into the Courier brand - Improve social media usage by specifically assigning responsibilities - Personally redesign website over summer to be faster and more intuitive Vote Baines for Courier Editor

HELEN DALY ually stimulating graphics and illustrations, from graphs in news, to photo-shoots in fashion. t 8PSL CFUUFS XJUI XSJUFST CVJME TUSPOHFS TVQQPSU for writers through optional monthly workshops for new writers and by closer relationships with editors. FOR THE BEST STUDENT PAPER VOTE BELLINI #1

CHARLOTTE MAXWELL

Hey! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Charlotte and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running for Editor of the Courier. If elected I will: - maintain the focus on student-based news, but with a GREATER EMPHASIS ON COVERAGE OF SOCIETIES AND CLUBS - INTRODUCE A NEW SUB-SECTION TO THE CULTURE SECTION: â&#x20AC;&#x153;FOODâ&#x20AC;? - ENCOURAGE THE FORMATION OF A PHOTOGRAPHY AND ILLUSTRATION SUB-TEAM. - Create a MORE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE FOR

Hello! My name is Helen Daly, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a third year English Literature student and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running to be the new Editor of The Courier. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been involved with the newspaper since I started university and have been editing the TV section for two years meaning that I have a wealth of experience about how the paper runs and I have a lot of thoughts on how I think it should run, including: t (SFBUFS 6/*5: PG TUVEFOU NFEJB BU /646 /43 and TCTV would be closely linked to The Courier and each team would support the other. More BROADCAST REVIEWS would be recorded and advertised on The Courierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website along with a written review. t &OTVSF UIBU Ä&#x2021;F $PVSJFS 3&'-&$54 5)& 456DENTS. Each section would devote its time to making sure that each article is relevant for the student readership. t 3&7*5*-*4"5*0/ 0' 5)& 8&#4*5& * XPVME change the design of the website, making it more

WRITERS - place a GREATER EMPHASIS ON MARKETING THE COURIER - CONTINUE THE INTERACTIVE RELATIONSHIP between The Courier, NSR and TCTV Why Vote? Experience of writing for a wide variety of platforms I am keen to give the Courier a more diverse twist I will provide a fortnightly writing surgery I will use my marketing skills to develop a marketing strategy

user-friendly. I would make sure that it is updated every day with a wide range of articles and videos from TCTV. For a more EXCITING and DIVERSE paper that reflects YOUR interests, put a #1 next to HELEN DALY. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Working hard for YOU on a DALY BASISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

As a school rep, I am confident about representing students As a trustee and sabbatical officer, I would support the widening access scheme and following my roles as Students with Disabilities Officer and President of Mind the Gap, strive to support all welfare campaigns. My extracurricular activities have provided an excellent working knowledge of the union and ways that I could support students to make the most of Newcastle. Vote Maxwell for Maximum Impact

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICER JINGXUAN GUO SUNNY PADHI

Hi, I am Jingxuan Guo from China. As a second year undergraduate who is studying accounting and finance, I believe I have a unique insight into studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life at Newcastle University. Except for being awarded International Student Scholarship and joining different societies and being volunteers, I am also an accommodation tour guide and student mentor at Newcastle University. My passion and experience enable me to have better understanding of what international student desires. I will make you enjoy your time at university and help you to achieve success-so make your vote COUNT..

MY WORDS FOR YOU: GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH UK-BASED STUDENTS: Sharing the culture and the traditions of our community with local students to promote further integration and mutual understanding by assisting in activities and events. EXPERIENCE AND RIGHTS : Let you get more involved with the Student Union and provide University-wide careers and employability support and the guidance on equality and diversity issues INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS RELATIONSHIP: Communicate directly with international students to help resolve a broad range of issues. Improving international studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship by organizing parties, festival and culture events etc.. ASSIST WITH FINANCIAL ADVICE: Caring about International student Scholarship and helping students by contacting financial advisors and money saving experts and provide effective financial support.

Hey! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Sunny, a 2nd year Marketing and Management student from India and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running for the position as your International Students Officer! If elected, my main objectives during my term will be to: Ensure smoother transitions and inductions during and after Fresherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Week so that international students can easily adjust and feel at home at university in no time. Encourage international students to take advantage of the social aspect of university life by persuading them to join and take part in social and sporting activities from the very start of their programmes. Develop better relationships with the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international societies, organisations and offices Host a larger number of new cultural events at and outside the university in order to allow people from various cultures to interact and get to know

each other. Promote and campaign for equal opportunities within the university, union and wider community. Implement a feedback system for International students where they can personally share their experiences at the university and what they would like to see improve, addressed or looked into in the future. Thank you. Dankie. Mazvitka. Merci. Obrigado. Gracias. Terima Kasih. TesekkĂźrler. ??

ACTIVITIES OFFICER MOLLY BUSHELL Hi! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Molly Bushell and I would like to be your next Activities Officer. As an International Student and active member of extracurricular activities, this has made my University experience one I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget! What Makes Me Uniqueâ&#x20AC;Ś A representative for my degree year during the past 3 years Understanding the importance student voice has within the university Treasurer of Music Society & ICMus Summer Festival Understanding how societies work and the dedication it takes to keep them running smoothly Involvement in extracurricular activities as well as a part time job Understanding the importance of organization and still being dedicated to my degree Being an International Student Understanding the challenges of living abroad and the importance of embracing the lifestyle & culture My Objectivesâ&#x20AC;Ś International Student Integration Society involvement during International Week helping Internationals settle into the new lifestyle with students of similar interests Society Online Forum Setting up an online forum for society committee members allowing them to interact and collaborate

with one another Including an online database for venues and upcoming society events Society Development and Promotion Days Helping committees build new and current societies through training workshops, promotional events around campus throughout the year Allowing students to gain a wider interest in the available societies and recognise committees for their dedication and hard-work year round I feel EVERYONE should have an incredible experience at university, joining societies and extra curricular activities can help add to the memories of your degree! Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Make Memories! VOTE 4 MOLLY!

JULIA GLEN

I am JULIA GLEN, and I am campaigning to represent you as ACTIVITIES OFFICER. University-wide events and student-led societies are fundamental in making your time at Newcastle unforgettable. I want to ensure that your Union gives you the best possible student experience, from freshers to graduation. MY ACTIVITIES EXPERIENCE t /FX 4PDJFUZ 3FQSFTFOUBUJWF PO UIF &YFDVUJWF Committee t 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF $PDLUBJM 4PDJFUZ t .FNCFS PG WBSJPVT DMVCT BOE TPDJFUJFT t 3"( $3&8 t 8PSLJOH UPXBSET BO ODM "XBSE t #MPHHFS GPS $BSFFSJOH "IFBE WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE I want you to receive the recognition, opportunities and support you deserve when it comes to activities. t " 4PDJFUJFT 4IPXDBTF BU UIF FOE PG UIF BDBEFNJD year, allowing a range of societies to demonstrate their progress and achievements over the year. t 0QUJNJTJOH UIF /646 XFCTJUF BMMPXJOH BMM TPDJ-

eties to review past and promote upcoming events in one place, thus creating writing, photography and film production opportunities for students wanting to gain experience. t 3FHVMBS FNBJM BOE TPDJBM NFEJB VQEBUFT HJWJOH societies a platform to share their events and celebrate their successes with a wider student audience. t 4FUUJOH VQ BO 0OMJOF 'PSVN UP QSPWJEF PO HPJOH support for committees and to increase communication between societies. YOU GO GLEN COCO

CAT SCHROETER

HI! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m CAT and I want to be your ACTIVITIES OFFICER! At Newcastle I believe that getting involved in societies is a vital part of student life! WHY VOTE #1 FOR CAT?: t 3"( $PNNJUUFF t 5$57 &YFD o )FBE PG 1IPUPHSBQIZ t 'JMN 4PD 1SPEVDFS t 'SFTIFST 8FFL $SFX .FEJB $SFX t 4PDJFUZ &WFOU 1IPUPHSBQIFS t 4611035 '03 /&8 40$*&5*&4 o I will make it easier to start up new societies, increasing committee training. Many new societies find the process overwhelming so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be here to give guidance. I will address the issue of funding, making the process smoother and speedier. t .0/5)-: 40$*&5: "8"3%4 o â&#x20AC;&#x153;Society of the monthâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bonus funding for winOJOH TPDJFUJFT 1SJ[FT GPS JOEJWJEVBM DPNNJUUFF society members. t */$3&"4&% */5&(3"5*0/ 0' 3"( o Get societies working with RAG, raising for chosen charities.

o Competitions - prizes for societies who raise the most. t */$3&"4&% 5"45&3 4&44*0/4 o It can be hard to decide which society is right for you - more taster sessions will help gain a better perspective of which societies youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll enjoy. t /646 8&#4*5& o Keep the NUSU website updated with society events. So, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget VOTE #1 CAT FOR ACTIVITIES!

CLAIRE FEARON Clare Fearon for activities! Clareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience: Âˇ Baking Society Founder and re-elected president twice so have always had first-hand experience of running a large society. Âˇ RAG Committee member Âˇ Peer mentor and course rep Âˇ Fresherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crew twice. Clareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aims: 1. Stan Calvert Competition for Societies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to give you all the opportunity to show off your talents and represent our university in a friendly competition. 2. More support to new societies, including meetings with new committees to ensure they are aware of all the opportunities available to their society and how they can make it the best society possible for their members. 3. Alerts of relevant placements and job opportunities given to course and hobby societies, working alongside the careerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service. 4. Increase RAG awareness and publicity of society events via weekly email highlights.

5. Officer training for social secretaries as well as presidents, treasurers and secretaries. 6. Automated emails for new members so they receive an email immediately updating them on society events. Introduce reliable sign-up registers for events to NUSU website. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Clare and I care. I care about your union. I care about your activities. I care about you.

HANNAH GORING Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m HANNAH GORING and I want to represent YOU and be your next ACTIVITIES OFFICER. With a range of experiences, boundless enthusiasm and a genuine desire to make your Union the best it can be, I hope I can help to make all University Activities accessible and enjoyable for every student. Experience: Director of the NUTS Musical â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Producersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, 2014 Newcastle Student Radio host and Social Secretary 2014-15 Freshersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Crew Member 2013 and Supervisor 2014 RAG Crew Member 2015 What I could do for YOU: MORE AWARENESS Boost Society Awareness across campus throughout the year. Showcase society activities and events more extensively throughout the University and online. Encourage interaction between societies, with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Society Exchangesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Joint Socials. PRO-ACTIVE FUND RAISING Support independent fund raising within societies to offer further opportunities beyond Union grants.

Boost the Societiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Adopt a Charity scheme and promote SCAN and RAG awareness. WIDER ACCESS Promote â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Widening Accessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; training scheme for awareness of disabilities and mental health conditions within societies. Encourage post-graduate involvement across all societies. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make every Newcastle University moment count! Please VOTE HANNAH GORING #1 for ACTIVITIES OFFICER.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OFFICERS ROSIE FOSTER & OLIVIA BUCKNALL WHY BOTHER VOTING?

hile you might be minded to slam your door in the face of whichever overly chirpy candidate is preventing you from tending to your noodles, these elections really do matter a lot. Well, for a start the sabbatical officer roles are full-time jobs for a year, and command a fairly meaty ÂŁ18,000 wage. Naturally, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pull for each of the candidates run-

ning for each position. However, these elections donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just make a difference to the winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bank accounts; the winners will represent you and every other student at Newcastle to the University, and so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredibly important that you pick out the candidates who you think will work best for you, and represent your views within the Union.

CHAIR OF STUDENT COUNCIL TOLU KOLAWOLE MICHAEL GOODFELLOW

I am a second year medical student and the MBBS school representative. I have attended several of the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s union council meetings this academic year and have brought forward two motions, both of which were agreed on by the SU. The first was

a call to ask for better counselling services to be provided by the university. The second was for the SU to stand against the gradual privatisation of the NHS and the Health and Social Care act of 2012.

Hello! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Rohan Kon and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to be your Chair of Union Council. This year I have become increasingly interested in the way our Union is run and so have been attending Council as a casual voter. I really enjoy the democratic atmosphere of Council and like to see students making a real difference to their university experience. All decisions about the running of the Union are passed through Council, and so it is of upmost importance that it is run effectively. My experience: t #FJOH $BNQBJHOT 0Ä? DFS GPS /FXDBTUMF 6OJ versity Feminist Society 2014/15 has refined my skills in events managing and public speaking.

t * IBWF IBE GBDJMJUBUJPO USBJOJOH BOE MFE EJTDVT sions in which is it imperative that everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voices are heard in a controlled manner within a strict timeframe. t * XBT B NFNCFS PG NZ TDIPPM 4UVEFOU $PVODJM and so understand the level of commitment necessary for this role. My aims: t "T $PVODJM DBO CF EBVOUJOH * XJMM NBLF JU more accessible by ensuring that the rules are explained clearly at the beginning of each meeting. t * XJMM XPSL UP BDDFTT B XJEFS NPSF SFQSFTFOUB tive range of people, encouraging them to attend Council and represent the broader student body.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being Chair of the University council over the past 6 months. It has been a real breath of fresh air to meet so many new people and have regular conversations with sabbatical officers. I have chaired four council meetings so far this year. All of them have been successful however I feel there is a lot room for improvement. With a year under my belt already, I have the experience to know how to approach this position. I feel I have a lot more to achieve which is why I am extremely keen to chair council for the next academic year. If appointed chair again, I intend to make a few sub-

stantial changes. Firstly, I would like council to be advertised a lot more to students. In my opinion not enough people know and thus appreciate the Students Union Council. Furthermore, it is important that motions are submitted from a range of students. The more constructive decisions we make will increase the overall development of Newcastle University. I am passionate about this institution and want to see it progress in the next few years. Being chair of council means I can help steer this University to a better and more successful future.

ROHAN KON

TOM WESSELY

STUDENTS WITH CARING RESPONSIBILITIES OFFICER BLESSING CHRISTIAN Hello there! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Blessing, a stage 2 Economics student who is passionate on running for the position of Students with Caring Responsibilities Officer. What I hope to Achieve To organise regular review meetings to hear your suggestions on what can be done to maintain or enhance the level of support that is currently offered to students with additional responsibilities. To start an online forum for student parents and carers so that it may act as an opportunity for some to learn from the experience of others, get to know

each other and even for moral support. To organise various parent/child outings and fun activities for students with caring responsibilities. I hope to make the student-parent experience at Newcastle University a truly memorable one. So, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a student who is a parent or who cares for someone (or know someone who is), vote for me, as someone who will listen to what you have to say, someone who will take action on your behalf and someone will work hard for what you want.

LGBT* OFFICERS FOPA OLALEYE & DAVID OU SCRUTINY OFFICER BETHANY CRENOL

Hello, My name is Tolu and I am a postgraduate student in Chemical Engineering standing for the position of Chair of Union Council. I have been actively involved in the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; uion for three years in various roles as course rep, school rep, student rep on senate and on ULTSEC. Why? Because I believe in the power of effective representation and making our voices heard. I am running for this role to increase the vibrancy of the council and to make council a place every student feels welcome. I am currently a council member and the current union council have taken a great step in increased students participation by creating additional 20 casual spaces on council that interested students can take.

I want to ensure that is taken further. My mission is to enhance effective participation and representation of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; opinions at council How? -Effectively promote and raise awareness about the casual places on council and get more students interested. -Create meet your coucil representative campaign similar and in conjunction with the course reps campaign -Increased awareness about council sub-commitees and roles within the student union that students can participate in. I believe a vote for me is a vote for amplifying your voice on the council, increased representation and engagement.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m FULL of ideas and You can rely on me, 100%! Hi Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Beth! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a 2nd year Biomedical Scientist and I would like the opportunity to make your student experience even better. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a bubbly, organised and enthusiastic character who wants to give something back to the student body. At my sixth form, I was Chair of the Student Council, where I had to work in a team to plan RAG events and manage the sixth form. I regularly attend the council meetings here so I have a good idea of the role. I am very conscientious and

hardworking so always strive to do the very best. If elected, I will build on student awareness, to try to increase members and voting in the council and elections.I would put in the hours to come up with innovate ways of improving student life. I am passionate about the University and its students, and if elected I will run the meetings efficiently, making the decisions based on many viewpoints. I am so keen to bring success to the Union Council and to be representing you as Chair. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s have an even more successful year!

BETHANY RICE

ROBERT WAUGH No manifesto supplied.

20.lifestyle

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Lifestyle Editors: Jack Dempsey, Annie Lord, Holly Suttle & Tom Tibble

Tinder troubles Connor McDonnell meets up with one of these worldies he keeps getting matched with

inder: the bastion of lonely hearts, procrastinators and explorers on a voyage for casual sex. I’m not sure which one of those three categories I fit into, but know that there’s no denying the narcissistic satisfaction you get from matching with an attractive female. Then you realise you know nothing about this person and feel a mild self-disgust. I decided to take it upon myself to meet up with one of my matches, which is one to remember. We met at Jam Jar on a typically bleak Friday night. The planned route was Jam Jar – Osbornes – Mr Lynch, but I was fairly open to any changes, and I’m sure my Santander Visa would have preferred an alternative plan. She turned up, late. She was wearing a swanky pea coat, white jersey top, skinny tweed trousers, and burgundy Doc-like shoes. Crimson on her lips and smoky eyeshadow on her eyes. She had big eyes, something I consider as a specifications of my ‘type’. Brunette too, obviously.

“I was worried people were going to think I’d stabbed my date”

I bought the first ones: two Cosmo Jams. I’m not a doctor, but this girl potentially had dyspraxia. She was flicking the red concoction everywhere. I thought it mildly endearing at first, but then it turned in to a complete re-colouring of her clothing. I was worried people were going to think I’d stabbed my date, and I’m not the murdering type. I told her I studied Literature, and she naturally asked who my favourite writer was. I said I liked Charles Bukowski’s poetry and told her she should read his poem ‘Bluebird’. I asked if she read. She did. “Have you heard of the Marquis de Sade?” A strangely sinister grin twisted on her face. “I really like his writing.” If you don’t know who he is, the word ‘sadist’ comes from him. At this moment in time and space, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about this, or about the smirk on her face.

“She fell, not just down the first set of stairs, but the second too”

We left Jam Jar after another two and got a couple in Osbornes before Mr Lynch, where we were fairly tiddly, knocking back the Mojitos. “Fuck it, let’s go to MSA.” I complied to her whimsical suggestion with great alacrity – Friday free entry. Walking down the stairs in MSA, she fell down not just the first but the second set of stairs too. It was like she fancied herself as a Slinky, which, as you can imagine, was received with bystanders’ laughter. We stayed for one before I decided that propping your date up is quite tedious, and it was home time for my ventriloquist dummy. She texted me the next day, not in any fit state and in desperate need of some adult supervision. ‘Help’, her first text read, ‘My back is killing me and I’m alone and have woken up in a pool of my own vomit. What happened last night?’. I responded tentatively, something along the lines of ‘you were pretty gone. It was nice to meet you and hope you had a good night’. I lied. It wasn’t the most pleasant meeting, and I’m pretty sure she had a terrible night. “We should do it again sometime.” What, watch you dye your top in cocktail, see you throw yourself down some stairs, and witness you becoming part of my right limb? Needless to say I didn’t respond.

Having a domestic

Benazir Parween tells it straight to those couples who share accommodation

obody thinks twice when your partner sleeps over for a night or two nights or even weeks, but the story changes once they fully move in. Sharing a space with friends and roommates is very different and there are clear boundaries and restrictions as to what is what. However, these lines become blurred with your significant other. One may take advantage of the other or the other might even still behave as though they are living with just another roommate. There is nothing wrong in establishing some common grounds when cohabiting. If it’s is going to make it a happier place, why not? Food: Unless it was explicitly mentioned that the leftover is for either one for you or it was something prepared together, do not touch what’s not yours. Food is no joke. You do not want to be the person stuffing your face with the last slice of yesterday’s pizza when your partner might have been dreaming about it all day. Try asking but no promises there either. The heart shatters a little when that cheesecake was so near yet all gone. Privacy: It is not a matter of trust, but do not go through your loved one’s laptop, wallet, bag, letters, Internet browser history and whatnot. It is just plain disrespectful and rude. No matter how deeply in love you two are, you need some personal space to breathe. If your relationship has reached a point where you need to do that, it is time for you to re-evaluate everything. You might

“You do not want to be eating the pizza your partner has dreamed about all day”

“If you tend to pay more, this is a very low insult to throw at the other person”

even spoil your own surprise if they have hidden some sweet gift from you. Language: Without sounding like a nag, both of you have to be careful with the words you use between each other – this is especially important when you argue or quarrel. Be mindful and do not throw hurtful words around. Finances are not going to be a clear equal between you two and if you tend to pay a little more, this will be a very low insult to hurl at the other. Before things get too heated, talk it out. It is really simple. If you were able to say “I love you”, you should be able to say “Let’s talk before I strangle you!” People: You two probably already have mutual friends and by moving in to ge t h e r, these people are going to be coming over to your place more – your place is simply bigger and most likely filled with more food, or maybe you are just too lazy to go out. Do not air your dirty laundry in front of them – literally and symbolically. You are going to look bad, and you should feel bad. Toilet business: Let’s get dirty here – not in the sexy way, but the gross way. It’s best not to sweat the small stuff like who left the toilet seat up or didn’t put their toothbrush where it belongs. But flush and do not leave ‘surprises’ for your partner. Is it okay if one is pooping and the other jumps in the shower? Or if one calls out for the other to bring them their phones? Gross or acceptable?

Whips and chains excite me

Did 50 Shades spark your interest? Tessa Jones shares tips for BDSM on a budget

nless you haven’t removed your blindfold, you’ll know all about the latest release of 50 Shades of Grey, the film adaptation of a highly erotic novel by a horny British housewife. Although the plot disgustingly glamorises domestic abuse, the main pull of the story is the heavy use of BDSM. The millionaire Christian Grey has a whole room dedicated to his sexual ventures, adorned with all manner of terrifying objects meant for painful sexual pleasure. But, if you’re low on funds and feel it’s something you’d like to try then hope is not lost, here’s how to ‘do it’ on a budget.

Whips

When BDSM is mentioned, the first thought on people’s minds is usually whipping. There are many types available out there, from floggers to riding crops, it just depends on what feeling you’re after. A leather belt is an easy substitute for a more professional whip, and you can get one from Primark for a couple of quid if either of you don’t already own one. Make sure you don’t use the buckle end on the body though, that can get real nasty real quick.

pick your best and get going, although it’s safer to take any jewellery off first to avoid cuts – unless, you know, that’s cool for you.

Handcuffs

We’ve all picked up a pair of fluffy handcuffs in the shop and sniggered, but even if they aren’t into anything else, a lot of people find being tied up pretty hot. Durable bondage handcuffs can be expensive at around £20, but you might find the fancy dress ones break quickly. A simple pair of tights can be useful in achieving your bondage dream, but be cautious of cutting off circulation when things heat up. A bit of rope can also be just as effective,

although if you’re keeping it your dirty little secret then the burns may attract some attention.

Masks

Being unaware of what will happen next can be highly erotic and so masks are popular in BDSM. Sleep masks are good to use, since they’re designed to block everything out, but that cute little cat motif may be a bit of a turn off for your partner. A scarf could be a better alternative and can even keep you warm in your student room. With any foray into BDSM, you both need to be consenting and enthusiastic, setting up boundaries beforehand. ‘Safe words’ are essential in ensuring you both enjoy the experience, and if they want out, then you stop immediately. It’s play time!

Paddles

Paddles are a popular sexcessory for spanking, but they can go for £15-£40 at Ann Summers, so not very affordable. This is where a plastic kitchen spatula can come in handy. Unless your flatmates don’t mind feeling a little naughty while they’re flipping their eggs in a morning, you might want to pick up a cheap one from Poundland and store it privately. Of course, the cheapest and most accessible thing to use is your hand. People generally have two of them so

“A simple pair of tights can be useful in achieving your bondage dream”

The Courier

.21

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Culture thecourieronline.co.uk/culture

Culture Editor: Kate Bennett Sections: Lifestyle, Fashion, Beauty, Arts, Music, Film, TV, Gaming and Science courier.culture@ncl.ac.uk | @CourierOnline

Blind Date

Sarah Miller, 3rd Year, Geography meets Ste Rutter, 3rd Year, Geography

Sarah on Ste

Where did the two of you decide to meet? The Tyne Bar on quayside. It’s a lovely pub but it was a bit of a trek away. Who decided on that? Ste. He seemed keen for a bit of a quayside bar crawl and wanted to start there. And I thought it sounded like a good idea - at first. Where you happy with his judgement? To begin with, no. I arrived about half an hour late because I set off walking without properly knowing where it was and he was pretty useless when I phoned him for some directions. So yeah, when I walked in seeing him wave to me from a table, having nearly finished his second pint, I was a bit miffed.

Ste on Sarah

So you met at Tyne Bar, how was that? A bit shambolic, it turned out Sarah had never been before so she turned up quite late. Were you annoyed that she kept you waiting? No, actually. I was able to get a pint in. And I don’t really know why but I bought a pint for her straight away. That backfired because when she eventually turned up I had finished mine and was halfway through drinking hers. Was that awkward? Well, sort of. I didn’t want her to think I had just started boozing whilst she was struggling to find the place but at the same time it probably didn’t sound very good to say that I was drinking a pint that I had originally intended to be for her. So lose-lose situation really. Other than the two pints part, that was win.

What were your first impressions of him? Not particularly good. I walked over and he asked me where I got lost and said something like, “I got you a pint but I thought I’d start it going, didn’t want it to get warm.”

What were your first impressions of Sarah? She was a bit flustered at first but I guess that was understandable. She seemed up for a good time once she found her bearings though.

This doesn’t sound too promising, was he able to turn it around? Yeah, to be fair, I found him funny. I think the fact I’d been traipsing around late hadn’t started me in the best of mindsets, but I wasn’t in that for long. He was very friendly.

Did you find her attractive? Oh yeah, yeah, pretty certainly.

Did you find him attractive? At first no, not really, he was kinda plain-looking. But it’s weird to think about that now because I found him quite handsome by the end of the date.

“She kept saying I looked like Jeremy Kyle, which I thought was a bit harsh”

“At one point he tried to pursue the idea that a dot-todot of the freckles on my arm would look like a carrot”

Did you buy her any more drinks? We started doing rounds after she caught up. I thought that was pretty hilarious actually. She headed straight to the bar and got stuck in. Maybe that was a reflection on how to deal with my company though. I certainly hope not.

How did the drink situation work out? I went to the bar as an excuse to take in my surroundings. I bought two pints to catch up and when were settled down that’s when it became half-decent. After that we went in rounds.

Did you find her good company? Yeah, I think we both had a good time. I didn’t really know how to read her at first. She kept saying I looked like Jeremy Kyle, which I thought was a bit harsh.

How did Ste turn it around? He apologised for the hassle, which wasn’t his fault to be fair, and then things just kicked off. He knows how to tell a good story, that or I just found his accent funny. He’s from Blackburn.

Maybe she has a thing for Jeremy Kyle? Maybe, later evidence would suggest so. In fact no, I don’t look like Jeremy Kyle, I’m not having that.

Did you go anywhere else? No we actually just stayed at Tyne Bar until we got quite fucked.

What do you mean by ‘later evidence’, do you feel Sarah was attracted to you? I think certainly a little bit, maybe not loads.

Did anything awkward happen? Ste had this weird catchphrase that I never quite understood. He kept saying, “and that’s why people can’t believe its not Rutter.” I mean, I get the reference to butter but I didn’t really understand the point of it.

Did anything awkward happen? Sarah had a few bizarre stories about past sexual encounters, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Turns out she’s pulled a mate of mine, small world. But no, nothing really.

Did you feel as if Ste was attracted to you? I got good vibes, he did find increasingly bizarre reasons to touch my arm. At one point he tried to pursue the idea that a dot-to-dot of the freckles on my arm would look like a carrot.

How come you didn’t pursue your bar crawl idea? I think we were both having too much fun to bother to move on, and also we were both probably too pissed to move very far without it being a pain the backside.

How bizarre, did his advances work? Yes actually, not specifically that one but by the end of the night we swapped numbers.

How did you part ways, or didn’t you? We shared a taxi back to Jesmond, and mobile numbers and a kiss.

Will you meet up again? I would hope so, he seemed keen, he was a good laugh. If Ste was an animal, what animal would he be and why? For the weird carrot comment, I’ll go with a rabbit. And he kinda has the nose and mouth structure that look like they’d nibble away at food. Rate Ste out of 10. 7

Lovely stuff, will you be meeting up again? Hopefully so.

Looking for love? Send in your details to c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk

If Sarah was an animal, what animal would she be and why? Probably a gazelle, because she said she liked the sun. Rate Sarah out of 10. 9

22.lifestyle

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Lifestyle Editors: Jack Dempsey, Annie Lord, Holly Suttle and Tom Tibble

Hidden campus map gems

Restaurant review: The Handmade Burger Co.

Tom Tibble unearths four mind-blowing things you never noticed on the Sophia Miller gives us the latest review on places to eat out in the Toon ne burger leading on to another, the the fact that we could actually taste how fresh these Had it not been for the fact that I had reached campus map theme continues from last week’s review burgers were, with the debate running throughout exploding point, I would have worked my way

he iconic Newcastle University Campus map will never look the same again after you’ve realised these incredible hidden truths.

The Boating Lake Is Actually Moby Dick

What you assumed was your everyday boating lake is actually Moby Dick, grounded on Leazes Park. The facial expression varies from map to map, but in this instance Moby looks a little bored. The ‘One Square Represents Approximately Two Minute Walk’ Rule Is Blatantly Inaccurate

Though only an approximation, this is a vast undersell. Northumberland Street is an assault course. If you’re not snagged by the ravenous arc of an Eat4Less queue, you’re bombarded by the wellmeaning leaflet-loving fund-raising types that pose a social test: how best to politely evade any advances. If caught in conversation, the distance moved in two minutes is approximately nowhere. The Campus Map Dot-to-dot

This shape is an extraction of what a dot-to-dot of the numbers 1-33 looks like. Unbelievable when you think about how hard the campus planners had to work in positioning buildings to result in such a masterpiece of two-dimensional drawing. A Merging Of The Civic Centre And Monument Would Form The Ultimate Power Drill It’s true, and here’s the evidence. Monument is the foundation to the pneumatic power tower that is the Civic Centre. This force is something of a sleeping giant since nothing else on the map constitutes anything that looks like a power cord or a plug socket, rendering a power-up unlikely. So if you’re an oversized screw and worried about being drilled into a suitably oversized hole, don’t be.

of The Fat Hippo. This week’s destination: The Handmade Burger Co., a restaurant dedicated to serving fresh and, as I was soon to learn, absolutely delicious food. Considering myself well experienced in the art of burgers, whether it be a late night Munchies stop, the far classier gourmet pub trip, or my own (if not rather unsuccessful) attempts in the kitchen, it’s safe to say I’ve had my fair share of exciting, varied, and unusual flavour combinations. However on arriving at the restaurant with my hungry buddies Emily and Jazz in tow, and seeing a grinning customer with noodles (yes, actual noodles!) in his burger through the window, my so-called ‘experience’ was blown out the water. I was in for treat.

the meal whether the amount of juice dripping down our fingers constituted a knife and fork (it didn’t), or maybe the exciting flavour combinations set our burgers aside from any we’d ever had before. All I know is I didn’t want it to end. Friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and divine food; needless to say, we will definitely be returning.

through the menu there and then. I’ve decided to make it my mission for the rest of the semester to return, helped along by the week-long 15% student discount, and (even better) Double Discount Mondays with 30% off the bill from 3pm. And while I’m at it, I’d better start practicing my chopstick skills.

“We sat for a moment in awe as our orders were placed on the table in front of us” With atmospheric lighting and wooden tables and chairs, the first thing that struck me on entering was the cosiness of the place, and, of course, nothing invites you in more than the smell of cooking burger. Taking the Nando’s approach, our friendly waitress seated us with menus, and told us to head up to the till to give our orders when we were ready. Being ready took rather a while. One glance down the menu and I was already torn between a majority of the options. Locating the ‘noodle burger’, officially named the Oriental, made up of a beef patty, crunchy noodles, hoisin sauce, wasabi mayonnaise and watercress, we were told that if we managed to eat it with chopsticks and then share our success in a video online, we would receive a free burger on our next visit. Sadly, being a novice with chopsticks I decided against it, continuing through my choices to the falafel pitta burger with tikka masala sauce, the bacon and avocado chicken burger, which took Emily’s fancy, and the peanut butter and bacon burger. After much contemplation, I was decided, joining Jazz in choosing the barbecue, cheese and bacon burger (a true classic), with sides of sweet potato fries and chips with rosemary salt. Stacked generously high and held together by a wooden skewer, we sat for a moment in awe as our orders were placed on the table in front of us. And then the chips arrived, completing the meal. Delicious was an understatement. Perhaps it was

Competition winner

Congratulations to Aidan Nixon, winner of the winner of the meal out for six at The Handmade Burger Co. Thank you to all who entered, the word/answer was ‘Nudiustertian’ meaning of, or pertaining to, the day before yesterday. Well done to all our entries that got it right! We wish Aidan Nixon and their five friends a delicious meal at the handmade burger co., and a special thanks to the restaurant in The Gate and Mike Lewis for making the competition possible. If you would like the other answers to the crossword questions, please look on the Courier Lifestyle 201415 page via Facebook, or contact the Lifestyle Editors at c2.lifestlye@ncl.ac.uk

The Courier

lifestyle.23

Tuesday 3 March 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/lifestyle c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk | @CourierLifestyle

Subterranean homesick blues

Coffee mania

Georgina Kerfoot dispenses advice on how to help mates who miss home

veryone suffers from homesickness at some point in their university life. It’s tough being away from home for most of the year. We’ve been back in Newcastle since the start of January, we’ve had exams, 9am lectures, assignments, it’s stressful and can lead to feelings of “I just want a hug from my mum” or just “I miss my mum’s cooking”. Your homesick friend needs to feel the love to take their mind off thinking about home. Here are some interesting ways to bring back that smile.

Food can solve any problem

Discovering Just Desserts Newcastle was life changing, you can have delicious puds delivered straight to your door. Surprising your friend with masses of cake will show them that you care and are there for them - and how good does scoffing cake for an evening with your friend sound?

Nights out can do the world of good Getting out of the flat and having a crazy night in the toon can shake off those blues. The best way to get rid of homesickness is to stay positive, and this is achieved by not overthinking things. Hitting the toon and having a fun night with their best mates is just what your friend needs. Head out to Sinners, have a treble and don’t forget Salt and Pepper on your walk home.

Let the world revolve around them for a day

It’s always fun to have all the attention, friends waiting on you hand and foot, it’s exactly what you need to dry out those tears and feel loved. Let your homesick friend choose what they want to do, whether they choose the dreaded ‘shop til you drop’ or a movie day spent watching cringey chick flicks and predictable love stories – just smile throughout and whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.

ing to them, let them just say how they feel, it really shows you care. Basically be their mum for a bit and give them your time, it’s best to let things out and this will really show your friend you love them to bits. So next time your friend is feeling down, just think what would cheer you up on a bad day. We all get a little homesick at times, and, it might sound a bit cliche, but friends are all you need to get you back up on your feet again. At the end of the day, you know they’ll be there to help you when the road gets rough.

Have a date

You’re best friends, it’s not weird! Take the male role in this new relationship… thing? Make your friend feel loved and they will soon lose those feelings of homesickness by realising how completely mad their best friend is - mad, but amazing. Why not go for a romantic stroll by the river or take a trip to Tynemouth and breathe in that sea air? Fresh air blows the cobwebs away (so my mum says anyway).

Give them a hug

Possibly the quickest, free (student budget and all) and best way to let your friend know you’re there for them. It might seem really obvious but listen-

Hayley Godbehere introduces her superfast, superfood tomato recipe

8. Sit the lid back on your tomato and pop this in the microwave to cook for 4 minutes. 9. Flip your halloumi in the grill so that its other side can cook for a while, and spoon around a dozen black olives out of the jar.

o begin with, while writing this article, I’m drinking my third cup of coffee for today. Isn’t it a bit ironic? There is a mind-blowing saying that what you think about the sea is your opinion of life, and what you think about coffee is your opinion of sex. When I first heard this, I was fascinated by its accuracy. Coffee is considered an obsession, necessity, inspiration, drug, habit, giving energy, warming and cosy, reason to talk, communication itself, home. It’s undeniable that we all have our different explanations for this love of coffee. And we always individualise it – it’s black, latte, honeyed, with a melted chocolate inside (have you tried adding cinnamon instead of sugar?) Hundreds of articles are dedicated to coffee. It is believed to improve our physical as well as mental endurance since it protects us from dementia and Alzheimer’s. Some even go further claiming that it’s definitely a mood boost which prevents headaches and makes us happy. Whether all of these health benefits are true or not, we can’t deny the fact that coffee is so soul-warming that some of us might start having symptoms of depression without it.

“Sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation”

Microwave meals: Stuffed tomato Ingredients: A beef tomato, a pack of microwave brown rice, half a block of halloumi cheese and a handful of black olives. his week we have a recipe that is a quick, healthy and healing for anyone with winter blues. This recipe is a sure fire way to cheer yourself up as we roll into March and the long freeze continues. Plus, what’s the ultimate trick to super fly grades? FEED YOUR MIND. This week feed it stuffed tomato. Note: My tomato is served here with olives and grilled halloumi. If you want to stick solely to using your microwave, then ignore the steps here for grilling cheese. Instead, serve your tomato up with some salad leaves. Here’s how to pull together a simple Mediterranean meal in ten easy steps, using your trusted friend… your microwave: 1. Heat the grill. 2. Take a sharp knife and chop half block of halloumi cheese into a few strips. 3. Place the halloumi under the grill to cook. 4. Take a pack of brown microwave rice and scoop about two-thirds of it out into a container. Keep this in the fridge to use another day. 5. Place the remaining third of your rice into the microwave, to heat for 2 minutes inside its pack. 6. Meanwhile, chop the top off your beef tomato (so that it becomes a lid) and scoop the centre of your tomato into the bin. Top Tip: If you’ve ever carved a pumpkin at Halloween, recreate that on a smaller scale here. 7. When your rice is cooked, sit your tomato on a dinner plate and spoon the rice into its hollowedout middle.

Maria Magdalena Manolova explores the psychology behind our addiction to coffee

10. When your microwave pings, carefully take out your plate with your finished stuffed tomato on it. Add the halloumi and olives to the plate, and then serve up your very Turkish tea! Time taken: 20 minutes

Personally, the reason I drink coffee so much is because, like a considerable amount of other students, I’m not a morning person. Coffee wakes me up, whispering a favourite quote of mine from Charles Bukowski – “Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I’m not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you’ve felt that way”. We drink so much coffee because it’s cute to see our name on a Starbucks cup. And there’s something fancy in Costa, too. The chocolate cake with marshmallows and jam might just feel lonely without the company of our favourite espresso with chocolate dusting. Although we can’t find Toffee Mocha Frappuccino in the library, we probably drink the biggest amount of coffee in there. And it’s probably because we’ve got great expectations for the night before our essay deadline. So our mantra becomes something like ‘sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation’.

“I don’t have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine”

As the saying goes, ‘I don’t have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine’. We somehow start feeling dependent on it and not only on Monday mornings. But whether coffee is in fact physically addictive or not is highly controversial and open to question. So the best thing we can do is stick to the golden rule of moderation. If 2 or 3 cups a day might visibly contribute to our activeness and productivity, an excessive amount of coffee can make us irritable, restless and fidgety. Maybe we drink so much coffee because, funnily enough, it’s contagious - like its contextual antonym, yawning. We see or smell fresh-made coffee (or sometimes it’s even more tempting as both senses recognise it at same time) or we just read an article like this which is trying vainly to explain why we drink it so much. And there we go – on our way to the nearest coffee machine.

26.fashion

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Fashion Editors: Amy O’Rourke and Hannah Fitton Online Fashion Editor: Hannah Goldstein

Best of the boutiques Tessa Jones

n this digital age, we’re seeing the internet revolutionise more and more parts of our life, and shopping is no exception. High street stores have their own websites, but for something different you should head to an online boutique. Here are some of the best in the market:

PrettyLittleThing. com

DaisyStreet.co.uk

This site’s USP seems to be that it bases its collections on the latest celebrity styles, with Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner being favourites, to help you recreate their looks. With items starting from as little as £6, you can get a whole new outfit at a very affordable price. It isn’t the greatest quality but there’s a good range of styles, from sports luxe to smart tailoring, which more than makes up for this. With regular deals such as 15% student discount and free delivery codes, you can’t really go wrong.

Another celebrity led site, Daisy Street is great for on-trend, fast fashion pieces. Every style is catered for, with a big range of products available, a lot in different colours as well. You can get gorgeous midi dresses for only £14.99 and ripped skinnies for £24.99, so you can keep up to date on the latest trends and stay well within your budget – with extra help from the 15% student discount. They also have a cute blog, sharing celebrity photos and style inspiration.

Accessoryo.com

If you’re after quirky and good quality accessories, Accessoryo will not let you down. They have collections for both men and women, with everything from bracelets to sunglasses to bags. Lauren Pope has done a small collaboration with the brand, designing her own women’s collection to help you recreate her own street style. Some sale items are as cheap as £2.50, so you can find some real good bargains.

ModDolly.com

For all your retro fashion wants, head to Mod Dolly for amazing dresses, skirts and tops inspired by generations past. The items aren’t cheap, with dresses going for £40 upwards, but it’s a small price to pay for the uniqueness and quality this brand has to offer. There’s a special quirky British-ness in each of their wares, and their Lookbook shows you how to style them best.

ArtGalleryClothing. co.uk

Carrying on with the retro vibes, Art Gallery Clothing is a London based menswear boutique which uses the Mod era as inspiration for their designs. Following their success as the Art Gallery DJ Collective, they launched a clothing range and the musical and stylistic vibes of the era are ever present in each of their collections. They have a great range of coats, shirts and jeans, amongst other menswear pieces, and the prices are affordable for the quality you’re getting.

STYLE

Top of the flops

What do you think of the floppy hat? Sara Macauley and Lucy Snowden go head to head to decide whether we should embrace the trend

here’s a reason why bloggers, campus trend setters and ‘It’ girls can’t get enough of the floppy hat trend, and that’s simply because it looks GOOD. Brigette Bardot et al were rocking them in the 70s golden days, all tousled hair, pouty lips and an undeniable sense of power, and now fashionistas everywhere are commanding the same attention with these wonderful felt toppers. First things first, hats are a tragically overlooked accessory - the distant cousins of shoes and handbags - which means that popping one on instantly adds a little something special to your OOTD. At this point in February, bundling yourself up in coats and scarves in an attempt to keep warm is growing a little old and if your wardrobe is looking a bit lacklustre, the floppy hat is the easiest way to inject instant chic into your look. If you’re a bit like me when it comes to 9am lectures (perpetually late no matter how many times your alarm tone squawks) then the FH is your new best friend. Feeling a bit worse for wear and no time for repair work? Peek out from under the brim of a floppy hat. Terrible hair day and run out of Batiste? Throw on your hat with the knowledge that your secret is safe. The floppy hat is a versatile beauty and it can be used to finish off almost any outfit, making it the lazy fashion lover’s dream.

yes

few quick questions: why would you choose to wear something that ruins your chances of a good hair day, becomes a source of embarrassment if blown off in the wind and potentially impairs your vision (depending on the size of the brim)? Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty keen on the floppy hat trend, or at least the idea of it. I look at the street style sections in magazines where fashionistas have been snapped, effortlessly rocking the floppy hat. However, the issue I have is the reality of actually trying it out. Hats in general inflict quite a lot of fashion anxiety on me, with the age old issue of hat hair filling any vain twentysomething with the dread of discovering their perfect outfit can be ruined with just a poor choice of head attire. Then there’s the dilemma of what to do with in once you get inside; you risk looking slightly ridiculous if you leave it on, but where’s the much needed hat rack if you fancy taking it off ? Another fear is that if you make any sudden head movements there’s a genuine risk of whacking someone in the face with, the oh-so-stylish, but dangerously wide brim. I think the best way to brave this trend is with bags of fame and fortune; however, for those of us who don’t live in New York, and instead frequent Newcastle University’s campus, the floppy hat should be left alone; it does not belong here.

Swayed by suede

It’s all about suede this season: Ellen Dixon on how to wear it without looking dated

ith the arrival of spring/summer collections comes the return of the 70s and a whole lotta suede. Although leather is timeless, there’s something about suede and its soft suppleness that brings with it a wistful nostalgia of decades before, the faded and grainy photography of 1970s stardom. The Burberry Prorsum S/S15 collection beckons in a modernisation of the classic suede pieces, with their muted yet colourful trench coats or cropped jackets with leather or denim trim. Saint Laurent followed with their patchwork jackets, and Ralph Lauren Collection created suede-belted shirt dresses in khaki shades which quite literally encompasses three key S/S15 trends in one.

“Knee high boots or court shoes are a good place to start if you think suede isn’t for you”

The chalky tones of this season’s suede allow for a subtlety that may be necessary for the trend to take off on the more mainstream market. In a way that leather doesn’t, the pieces create the inviting and alluring spectacle which the 70s were famous for. The versatility allows for it to be worn in both warm and cold months; the lightness of the fabric creates a perfect platform for a new style of the summer trench coat or A-line skirt, or on the cooler days a suede sleeveless duster would look stunning over a knitted polo-neck. Knee high boots or court shoes are a good place to start if you think suede isn’t for you - it’s understandably a bold choice for the streets of Newcastle. It also may not be the most practical of materials: everybody will remember the water lines that used to show up on Ugg boots. Regardless, the queen of everything Alexa Chung

is an advocate, wearing vintage patchwork coats and suede miniskirts, and obviously she does so effortlessly. It’s gradually entering the high street stores, but the fabric is unfortunately not cheap; faux suede is not as well established as faux leather so we might be waiting a little bit longer for more affordable pieces.

“The soft, retro look is too romantic to resist” Topshop, of course, were one of the first high street stores to create pieces reminiscent of those on the catwalk, though most items are still beyond a student budget. Their suede collection includes boots and court shoes, fringed bags, A-line skirts with matching jackets, and shift dresses, all of which have been made with an adaptability that allows for an easy transition onto the high street market. It’s not for everyone, but the retro and soft look of suede is too much of a romantic trend to resist, and fits synonymously with the return of denim and supersized floral prints this season.

The Courier

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Tuesday 3 March

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Appalling apparel With American Apparel’s founder Dov Charney getting the axe, Abby Rose discusses his past - and what’s next for the hipster-favourite company

ounded in 1998 by Dov Charney, American Apparel is no stranger to controversy. Most people will be familiar with the format of the photoshoots: stark white rooms featuring girls in provocative poses, dressed in sheer leotards; cod-pornographic shoots of girls writhing around on a bed; gratuitous close-up shots of female crotches. Dov Charney has been sued, and consequently fired, on the grounds of sexual harassment – lawsuits involving sexual misconduct between he and female employees. One employee came forward in 2011, claiming that Charney kept her as his teenage sex slave. This is hardly surprising coming from a man whom allowed a ‘Back To School’ themed campaign, featuring just the back view of a young girl bent over in front of the camera in a plaid mini ‘school’ skirt, with a black censor bar indicating that she has no underwear on underneath. He has also been accused of racial and homophobic slanders in other lawsuits. Clearly, Charney has some issues. This man has such a blatantly depraved outlook on women, portraying his models as nothing more than pouting, girlish sex objects - it doesn’t take a psychologist to guess that Charney himself probably has a Betamale complex and was bullied at school. His need to infantilize, sexualize, and control women obviously stems from multiple rejections by girls in his youth. This has culminated in the end product

of ‘Dov Charney’ – a creepy, sad old misogynist, whom has taken the slogan ‘sex sells’ to another extreme, to create a hype around overpriced, basic clothes. Let’s be honest, the clothes are all formulated around a few basic prototypes, which are then produced in differing colours, and the odd pattern. You can find the same sorts of clothes in Primark, for a fraction of the price. The trademark silver metallic spandex leggings are reminiscent of the tin foil wrapped around the burritos in Zapatista – and, let’s face it, unless you weigh 90 pounds, that is exactly how your legs are going to look if you decide to wear them (and God only knows why you would). Cue Paula Schneider. As the new CEO, she vowed to turn around the company, and give it a new direction. Her December campaign featured the YouTube sensation Brendan Jordan modelling the clothes in a variety of fabulous poses. Her campaign injected a sense of edginess into the company without being sleazy; furthermore, it strengthened the brand’s equal and gay rights stance. Although I find the clothes tedious, there is a delight in what Paula is trying to achieve. This, coupled with the brand’s home grown manufacturing and ethical trade, allows for there to be a positive beacon of hope for them. Now, let’s just hope that Charney seeks counselling.

Brand Watch:

Shrimps Hannah Fitton

With Alexa Chung as a number one fan, newly launched Shrimps has taken fashion week by storm

“It doesn’t take a psychologist to guess that Charney himself probably has a Beta-male complex and was bullied at school”

Illustration by Zeena Shah

Mom’s the word Lottie Bovill shows us how to wear the tricky mom jeans trend

ho would have thought that this year’s hottest new brand is named after a small pink crustacean? Well, I give you Shrimps. Shrimps is a tiny new label from the young London-based designer Hannah Weiland. With a background in History of Art and a diploma in textiles from the London College of Fashion, Weiland is inspired by modern art and funky patterns. As soon as you enter the online world of Shrimps you are greeted by an old school plane soaring over the giraffe-printed page, with a dalmatian regally poised and a pink prawn cursor ready to guide you around. This eclectic mix sounds like it shouldn’t work...but it does.

“The pieces feel like they have been made by little pixies in lalaland” The range is purely faux-fur. There are leopard print fur coats with yellow collars (seen on Alexa Chung and Pixie Geldof at this year’s London Fashion Week), cropped salmon-coloured fur jackets, baby blue fur clutches embossed with pearls and little fluffy owl mascots for you key chain. Model Laura Bailey says of the brand “[it is] modern and nostalgic, rainbow bright but tough at the edges”, and I would have to agree. The pieces feel like they have been made by little pixies in lalaland, out of candy floss and barbies jewellery box, yet this ill sounding combination looks great and still has that edge. Illustration by Daisy Billowes

ith the 90s revival back on, it looks like moms really do know best. Mom jeans are back in trend and are most likely to

stay there. Forget your unreliable boyfriend jeans and don the trustworthy, traditional, high-waisted denim jeans, which make anybody’s legs look like a supermodel’s. These quirky jeans can be perfect for both day and night, casual or smart, it’s just how you style them that matters. For a casual outfit try the classic Parisian look. This is your excuse to bring out your brogues and bear your Breton. Add a high waisted buckle belt or fun socks to accessorize.

Dress up the grunge rock look with a crop top and some heeled boots. We’ve put a 90s twist on this look by adding a bomber jacket and a flannel around the waist. Crop tops will also do wonders to the waist.

“Make anybody’s legs look like a supermodel’s”

For a smart, stylish, not forgetting sophisticated outfit, pair your mom jeans with a shirt and strappy heels. Add a killer leather jacket and clutch, to ensure all eyes are on you. Layering works well with mom jeans so long as

you maintain their straight leg silhouette. When layering with a baggy jumper, tuck it in at the front and leave it out at the back, keeping the waist accentuated, but the look casual. Perfect for keeping warm in this weather, but also keeping cool when it heats up. Roll up your jeans or leave tapered depending on the type of shoe you wear, or how you feel on the day. You can also buy distressed mom jeans or do it yourself with a pair of scissors, a cheese grater (trust me it works) and even a bit of bleach. Try traditional and get your jeans from vintage or charity shops, or walk into your typical high street store and pick up a pair there.

28.beauty

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Beauty Editors: Charlotte Davies and Charlotte Maxwell Online Editor: Kathy Davidson

All booties great and small

Keep your face from fading Flo Davies gives us her essential guide to maintaining your makeup all day long Don’t let it shine After a long day, makeup tends to melt down and give our faces the wrong kind of shine. But you can fight oiliness with a mattifying, longwearing foundation and a pressed setting powder - your T-zone will thank you. In terms of increasing the longevity of lasting make-up, sweep on a little setting powder to assist in sustaining a matte complexion and double up on the oil control (Rimmel’s Stay Matte pressed powder is great). Using powder locks in your foundation, making sure it stays put all day. Be sure to carry the powder around in your bag for touch-ups on the go.

Beth Watt talks a load of DUVH VSHFL¿ FDOO\ WKH Brazilian butt lift, the latest in bum resculpting technology

“M

Y ANACONDA DON’T WANT NONE UNLESS YOU GOT BUNS, HUN!” Ahh, a war cry whose dulcet tones can be heard resounding through the ages. Though this familiar tract on the appeal of healthy behinds bemoans the ‘magazines saying flat butts are the thing’, it is undeniable that the shapely, larger derrière has been a fixture of global beauty ideals for millennia. Consider for a moment the ‘Venus of Willendorf ’: a 4.4 inch statuette believed to be a depiction of a fertility goddess dating from between 25,000 and 28,000 BCE, which was originally named ‘la poire’ (‘the pear’) because of what Sir Mix-A-Lot would tastefully term her ‘juicy double’.

“A mainstay of world culture for 30,000 years, the ritual worship of the arse continues. The booty cult looks here to stay”

So often these days we hear about the cyclical nature of things, how fashion and beauty are flimsy constructs which operate in twenty-year sequences. Think about it – it’s no coincidence that your Year 7 memories are blighted by legwarmers two decades after the release of Footloose, and that today we are witnessing the comeback of JNCO Jeans, Doc Martens and that other 90s staple, the overdrawn nude lip thing (I give it ‘til April). But as beauty revolves in cycles of time the bum has been history’s perennial top performer. So in 2015, after last year’s Nicki Minaj reworking of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s classic and Vogue’s September declaration that we have now entered the ‘Era of the Big Booty’, women are telling other women what men want, and men are being told to like it. But with the sumptuous arse/thigh gap combo being just as unachievable for some people as it would be for others to attain a size 6 without sanding down their bones, artificial enhancers have been developed. Exit Atkins, 5:2 and bizarre paleo diets, pursued by a bear. Enter, the Brazilian Butt Lift. A Brazilian Butt Lift, essentially constitutes the removal of fat deposits from a person’s stomach, thighs and hips, and the reinjection of this fat into his or her rump, with further liposuction being performed on this area for the purposes of ‘contouring’ (according to realself.com). The whole process will set you back a healthy $6,600, so it is little wonder copycat Brazilian booty boosting workouts have been developed. For a much less cringe worthy £18.42 (a worryingly specific amount), some guy called Leandro will send you a couple of DVDs of his special workout regimen, designed specifically to mimic the process of BBL surgery, along with another creepy freebie: an HB pencil, which he promises you will be able to suspend underneath your arse cheeks by the end of the programme. A mainstay of world culture for 30,000 years, the ritual worship of the arse continues – the Booty Cult looks here to stay. So hey, if £4000 to suck all the fat out of your love handles and inject it into your arse is something you can afford and really rather fancy, go for it. But remember, above all, to love your body, and know that if you’re happy in your own skin, your confidence will radiate from your derrière whether plump or petite. In the words of Hollywood starlet and fellow redhead Shirley MacLaine, “I want women to be liberated, and still be able to have a nice ass and shake it.”

Wake up your make-up To banish oily lids and shadow creasing, pop some eye primer on before applying eye shadow. Doing this also helps the colour stay more pigmented and last all day, giving a great vibrancy to whatever you layer over the top. Mac’s Soft Ochre Paint Pot is a warm-toned nude, opaque colour that gives shadows a smoother and more even appearance. Given its warm tone, Soft Ochre would be great for neutralizing purple-toned discoloration on the eyelid. The best way to transform a make-up look from day to night is with the eyes, so save the major eye moment for the evening and take a lighter approach during the day. I recommend doubling up your bronzer as an eye shadow, blending the bronzey tone colour over the lid and into the sockets give the eye the perfect amount of definition. To bring the drama to your look, smudge a darker colour over the lids and also line the upper and lower lash lines with either a chocolate brown or black pencil, applying it along the inner rims for extra drama. Make sure to avoid dreary eyes and smeared eye make-up buy making sure a your eye make-up is waterproof.

Prep your base The secret for makeup maintenance is to transform your face from a fresh daytime flush, adding onto the base for a night time look. So, why, somewhere around mid-morning, does a quick glimpse in the mirror reveal that my make up has pulled a vanishing act? Your face doesn’t have to show the signs of when life gets a bit hectic and creating a long-lasting look is super simple. The most important step, is to make sure your make up will sit well on the face before you begin to apply any product, therefore its important to banish dry and dehydrated skin. An occasional exfoliating polish is the answer to all your troubles (try Johnson’s 3-in-1 gentle exfoliating facial wash). Do you have dry skin? If so, make sure that you apply a facial moisturizer. For best results, apply in the morning and evening to sustain a moisture locked complexion, giving your skin just enough hydration (go for La Roche-Posay Hydreane Legre moisturizer).

Do-it-yourself facial When it comes to beauty, sometimes it’s better to go back to basics. Homemade beauty products have been around since historic times and many of the natural beauty products we see today include ingredients that many of us have lying around in the kitchen. Free from harsh chemicals, whisking up some homemade beauty recipes will leave your skin soft and glowing whilst also saving you that much needed money. Here are some key kitchen beauty essentials with some of the best DIY recipes.

Yoghurt honey mask Yoghurt and honey are well known for their array of beauty benefits. Full of antioxidants, lactic acid and anti-bacterial qualities, they hydrate and brighten the skin and are known to help with acne.

Recipe:

1 tbspn Plain yoghurt 1 tbspn honey 1 tspn- mashed cucumber (peel first) Smooth over skin and leave for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Vinegar toner

Sugar exfoliator

Using vinegar as a toner dates back from Roman times. Rich in natural alpha hydroxyl acids, it is a perfect alternative to the many chemical-derived toners on the high street today.

Why buy expensive exfoliators when it can be so easily made at home. Brown sugar is an effective natural exfoliant that, if used regularly, will remove dead skin cells and even out skin tone.

1 part apple cider vinegar 2 parts water Add vinegar and water to jar/container. Shake bottle to combine mixture. Apply toner to freshly cleansed skin using cotton pad. Once toner has dried, apply moisturiser.

1 tbspn brown sugar 1 tsp of olive oil/coconut oil Put sugar in your palm and add the oil. Stir in your palm with your finger to make a paste. Massage into skin in circular motion.

Recipe:

Banana mask Known as Mother Nature’s low-cost Botox, bananas protect the skin from free radicals and boost the skin’s sunray resistance.

Recipe:

Mash a ripe banana and apply on face. Let it sit on your face for 15 minutes and then rise off with cold water.

Recipe:

Green tea Green tea is an effective skin –soother that makes a great remedy for refreshing tired eyes and reducing puffiness.

Recipe:

Pour a cool, strong cup of green tea into ice tray. Once frozen, wrap the cubes in a muslin. Press the cube under and around the eyes. Emily Pentony

The Courier

beauty.29

Tuesday 3 March 2015

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Essential beauty hacks Louisa Barnard JLYHV XV KHU WRS WKUHH SURGXFWV IRU D À Louisa Barnard JLYHV XV KHU WRS WKUHH SURGXFWV IRU D À DZOHVV IDFH ZLWKRXW WKH IDII

MAC gets magical Lucy Cochrane talks us through MAC’s new Cinderella collection

T Baby powder

ow, I know what you are all thinkingwhy would I use baby powder on my skin? I know you spent your growing up years trying to get away from parents sprinkling it all over you. Or even the fact that it is white, going against the trend of being tanned. But I am being deadly serious when I say that talcum powder is one of the best beauty products I have bought and can be used for anyone of any skin tone. I use talcum powder as a base, the first thing to apply. Just sprinkle a little into the palm of your hand, then use a powder brush and apply lightly and equally across your face. Do this before applying the foundation as it prevents blocked pores but at the same time has an even finishing touch, and is a far more natural product to apply to the skin than a primer or setting powder. To avoid shine you can also apply a little more after using the foundation (I would recommend only on the T-zones, you don’t want to get rid of all your natural shine).

Illustrations by Laura Marsh

Lip liner

Coconut oil

he smudging, the staining and the fading: whether you wear lipstick on a daily basis or simply on a night out, it can be a nuisance and high in maintenance. We are always trying to find the perfect lipstick, but look no further - lip liner is the answer. At half the price of a good lipstick, you can use this for a matted and striking look. It remains strong in colour and is far harder to smudge. After applying it on the lips you can add a bit of gloss with a cheap lipstick or lip-gloss, but ensure that the base is all lip liner. I have found Rimmel to be very good, and I can always be sure that it will last for a long period of time. This crisp and refined beauty item will shape the lips to perfection along with stopping them from looking messy and faded. When applying, start with the outline of the lips. This creates a frame before you fill in. Once this has been applied you will not have to correct for the rest of the day, simply top up with the glossy lipstick as a way to maintain the shine and fresh look.

his multipurpose beauty product will leave your skin and hair nourished and healthy. Coconut oil is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that retain moisture. As it does not let moisture escape, it prevents breakage of hair or hair damage. What I have found to be most effective is to apply and massage into the scalp and ends when the hair is wet. Leave it in for one hour to soak up the coconut oil. If you straighten, dye or naturally have dry hair, or even just want to maintain your healthy locks, then you should try this product. At half the price of high street hair products, it is a natural and effective ingredient. If you want an even deeper condition, apply this and then wrap your hair in cling film. It sounds ridiculous I know however, this acts as a way for your hair to soak deeply in moisture. Coconut is far from limited. If you want to get the most for your money, use it for soaps and skin creams, or as a natural and delicious ingredient in your foods.

Spotted on campus

Our eyes on campus, Ashley Williams, shares the top three beauty looks she hunted down this week

Chichi Okolo 28, Engineering

Jenny Lascelles 22, Folk and Traditional Music

Saffron Kershaw-Mee 20, Media and English

I’m loving this look on Chichi. Braids are such an easy way to add a bit of flair to your hair without having to deal with styling it every day. Her overall look is simple, yet polished, with little to no makeup. The Nigerian student says she’s given her hair a rest from wearing it straight, and I think this style works wonderfully for her. I also like the length – longer braids tend to feel (and look) a bit heavy, but Chichi’s style looks simple and lightweight.

It might be hard to tell from the photo, but Jenny’s shade of red really stands out. The natural brunette is rocking the colour Real Red on her curly locks. It’s become her signature shade and I can see why. In general I’m a fan of anyone who thinks outside the box (of typical hair dyes, that is) because it definitely takes guts to try something different. She doesn’t overdo it with the makeup, which I think works best with a bold hair colour.

Saffron’s hair has got a serious case of the blues – Atlantic Blue, to be exact. Not everyone’s bold enough to go for such a vibrant style, it’s hard not to spot such a unique colour! She says she dyes her own hair with semi-permanent colour quite often, from greens to pinks, and anywhere in between. The short cropped style works with her face shape, and it’s probably far easier to manage the constant switch-up of colour when dealing with less length.

Chichi said: “I didn’t want to comb my hair every morning, I got tired of it, so I switched to something different.”

Jenny said: “I’ve been dyeing it since I was quite young, so it just kind of stays red.”

Saffron said: “I’m really erratic with my hair, so I’ll be like ‘I’m bored of blue now, I’m gonna go, like, lavender or something.”

o celebrate the release of Disney’s new Cinderella movie next month, MAC are releasing a stunning fairy-tale collection devoted to it. The press explanation reads: ‘Timeless and courageous, the most famous Disney princess of all inspires a limited edition colour collection magical enough to make all your fairy-tale dreams come true…’ Unlike previous limited collections such as that of Rocky Horror, or Disney’s Maleficent last year, MAC’s Cinderella collection is completely wearable. Even though these past collections have been bold and fabulous, the amount of wear you can get out of such daring shades on an everyday basis is arguably not worth the money. This one, however, is super pretty and natural, full of somewhat safer shades such as neutral taupes and pretty pinks. These wearable tones and the beautiful sparkle running throughout the collection makes it perfect for a Disney princess. The packaging is simply stunning, featuring the classic baby blue of Cinderella’s dress infused with lilac iridescent shimmer and gold writing. Any Disney fan undoubtedly will fall in love with this exclusive collection. The collection features an eyeshadow palette, two lipsticks and glosses, two eye glosses, two Fluidline eyeliners, three glitter pigments, mascara, and two iridescent pressed powders, all holding super cute names such as ‘Happily Ever After’. Avid Disney makeup fans will find it hard not to hoard the complete collection due to the sheer hype of the Disney theme. Personally, as MAC isn’t exactly the cheapest of brands, I think I will try out one or two pieces from the collection. The ‘Stroke of Midnight’ palette is probably the best investment, featuring five permanent shades and one exclusive shade. This is therefore a great option if you are new to MAC, as you can’t go wrong with these tried and tested shades. The shades are relatively neutral which means this palette would be perfect for every day, and are also most likely to suit everybody. It does however, feature one exclusive shade which looks stunning: a sparkly mauve/black which would make for the perfect smoky eye, hence this palette is quite versatile. I also have my eye on the lipstick ‘Royal Ball’, which looks like a pretty nude pink which again, is very natural and something that anyone could easily pull off. This magical collection is due in stores March 13th to coincide with the release of the movie on the same date.

Illustrations by Laura Marsh

30.arts

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Arts Editors: Lucy Chenery and Becka Crawshaw Online Arts Editor: Jess Harman

Arrested development

Nominated at this year’s Oscars for Best Documentary Film, Finding Vivian Maier is an exploration of a woman, her camera and the characters captured, writes Becka Crawshaw

I Holly Argent on the growth and versatility of the art book

ollowing on from my Glasgow-focussed article two weeks ago I think it’s worth pondering over the growing popularity of the artist book. Publishing and self-publishing has certainly been around for a little while for a number of reasons. The cheapness of self-publishing over seeking a publishing house that could potentially charge a premium is not the only advantage of doing it yourself. The ease at which you can print, photocopy or cut ‘n’ stick a limited number of publications in a short period of time is allowing for a wider birth of creativity within the pages of a book. And they’re certainly not going to be disappearing from our magazine racks anytime soon. Periodicals such as Frieze, ArtReview, ArtForum, Art Licks, and Literary Review no doubt play a huge role in the critique and discourse surrounding art and literacy, but they sit on a different shelf to that of the art-book. With tighter constraints in format, style, content and the ‘image’ that publication already has, it can be a limited format in which to publish items other than critical theory, reviews and even photography. Contemplating text and image together in a way that doesn’t feel tied down to ideas of ‘professionalism’, holding your matter under the title of an artist book allows for scope to explore the concept of a book or page itself, as well as graphically.

n 2007, photographic collector John Maloof discovered a multitude of negatives at a local thrift auction in Chicago, all belonging to a ‘Vivian Maier’. After developing some of her images, Maloof uncovered a past shrouded in mystery; a bygone age of a woman, her camera and its characters. What he found was extraordinary. Vivian Maier’s career is as ambiguous as her appearance, and both are kept equally as private. However there are two outstanding questions that many Maier enthusiasts are presently reflecting on: why did Maier never develop her photographs? And what was she trying to conceal (if anything)? Maier grew up and was raised in the Bronx borough of New York City. An intensely private figure since her youth, Maier turned to photography as a way of experiencing public life in a moderately confidential manner. Recording urban America in the mid 20th century, Maier’s images exhibit dichotomies between class, gender, race and politics that were circling at the time. With a profound degree of sensitivity towards these aspects of everyday life, Maier’s photographs are not focused on a particular group of people but document the lives of those struggling to survive in the minority and those who are from more privileged upbringings in the city. Many of her images are said to reflect her own deprived upbringing and certainly her sympathy towards those enduring poverty is innate. I feel a pang of sadness as I look at some of her work. I know nothing about the subjects and yet their stories are bled out onto the black and white backgrounds, painfully exposed. Despite owning an abundance of cameras (presumably collected over the years), Maier primarily worked with her Kodak Brownie box camera and her trusty Rolleiflex. Her ability to capture eccentric compositions, distinct details and the characters of her subjects, however, were all down to her

creative capacity which - unfortunately - wasn’t commemorated in her lifetime. There is an innocence in her photographs, particularly in her self-portraits which were often taken in mirrors or in other reflective surfaces. It is almost as if Maier is unable to face the world straight on or in the same dimension, incapable of feeling accepted in her skin. She never smiles and there is barely ever direct eye contact with her viewers (although she wasn’t to know that thousands of her images were going to be universally displayed). Like her subjects, Maier is just another face in her images. She does not look for approval from others but seeks, I feel, self-acceptance. Although she is exposed, she remains very much concealed. Working as a nanny for families in the suburbs of New York, Maier’s photography continued to thrive while remaining part of her private life, and few knew of her remarkable talent until now. Maier didn’t even disclose this talent to her close friends, whose shock is revealed on John Maloof ’s two hour television documentary Finding Vivian Maier. Maloof, having been moved by Maier’s photographs, uses this two hour time-frame to guide viewers through and around the curious life of this complex human being, revealing to us her personal behaviours, careers and short supply of friends. His concern lies not in the fact that he is revealing her images to the public without consent, but regarding whether she would have wanted this of her work (her friends say she would not have been able to cope with public acclaim, scrutiny and recognition itself). He chose, in any case, to exhibit her work and what we are met with is a set of images that are imbued with emotion, sensation and the capacity to change the way we look at the world. Maier’s work exceeds all contemporary photography exhibitions I’ve visited over the past years, and she will remain one of my favourite photographers.

What do art students do all day?: Hidden art in Jesmond

“No longer do we have to follow left to right, or front Jess Harman explores the hidden artistic gems of Jesmond students’ interior decor to back, or even flick page to ext time you walk past a student house Mary: “A few weeks ago there was an old married by the end of the year,” says resident Tom Bewes. page” in Jesmond, don’t be so quick to judge couple standing on our road, pointing up at the Only doors away, the art of procrastination has

Left Leg Gallery has set up a Zine Library within NewBridge Studios itself, and it’s this enthusiasm for self-publishing and an appreciation of the amateur that has led to the artist-book being explored as a stand alone object. The concept of reading itself is often challenged; no longer do we have to follow left to right, or front to back, or even flick page to page. The artist book is no longer an accompaniment or a stand-in for a press release but an entity itself that can programme further discourse and creativity. The line-up of Artist Book Fairs hosted in the UK boasts major culture cities: Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh – Fruit Market Gallery, London – Whitechapel Gallery and the North East’s very own held at BALTIC (date for your diary: 10th and 11th July is BALTIC’s next artist book market). Newcastle itself claims a range of publishing projects: The Bleed, an independent arts magazine from a couple of Northumbria University students, Sleeper Books an independent publisher of artists’ zines, which specialises in collaborative books between artist and press and UnstapledPress, (shameless self-promotion I must admit as I am on the editorial team of said press), a publishing house set up by seven artists publishing creative work involving text, working with artists, musicians, performers and linguists. Meanwhile, if you can’t wait until July to get your hands on some beautiful pages of un-prohibited ink I’d get down to NewBridge Books on NewBridge West Street. With an an amazing collection of books, zines and art writing from individuals and independent publishing houses you’ll be sure to find something worth a flick through with a cuppa in their quirky shop. Image: Holly Argent

the empty cigarette packets and smashed glass that lead to the front door, since there are some true artistic gems to be found behind those paint-peeling doors. Take Buston Terrace as an example, home to many a budding artist. The inhabitants of number 60 have created a masterpiece, inviting friends to draw a portrait of themselves to add to the collection of faces on the wall. The collection of student self portraits have created a Jesmond wall of fame, including RAG fashion show models, one night stands, dinner guests and the six housemates: Tom, Ant, Rob, Ben, George and James. Also featured on the wall are the faces of Ken and

house, so a couple of us went outside and asked them if they were alright. They told us that they used to live here, so we invited them inside for a tour and asked them if they’d like to add a picture to the wall,” says housemate Anthony Berkeley.

“Instead of revising for exams, Charlie spent days making collages” The portraits vary from realistic and charactercatching to shameful, though some can be said to be aspirational. “My aim is to look like my drawing

reached great heights. Housemate Claire explains: “Instead of revising for exams, Charlie spent days making collages”. A creation of book covers, album art and old Vanity Fair covers, with alternate images raised off the board to create an effective texture - these boards have added a blast of colour to this student house. Charlie Mackenzie encourages fellow students to create art for their house “It’s an excellent way to distract yourself from work, and when they’re not falling off the wall they look pretty good too”. Images: Thanks to everyone from Buston Terrace

The Courier

arts.31

Tuesday 3 March 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/arts c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk | @CourierArts

Reviews

Choirplay/ Breakfast Hearts: Live Theatre

Distant Bodies: Ian McMillan: System Gallery Fickling Lecture

year ago Oliver Doe, a Fine Art student at Newcastle University, read The History of Sexuality by Michel Foucault. Under this influence, he was inspired to create ‘Distant Bodies’. As its name reveals, the main focus of this exhibition is on the human body and the distance between genders which is impossible to overcome when concerning the blurred and equivocal nature of sexuality. His works are abstract and opaque which correlates with the ambiguity and fluidity of sexuality itself. In order to express this queerness, Doe uses miscellaneous objects such as sponges and ratchet straps in non-typical combinations. As well as this, there are photographs of different parts of the human anatomy, which makes the exhibition look like a body that is difficult to put back together. Doe himself realises the complexity of his works make a final interpretation difficult to reach. He purposefully chose the worldwide economic symbol, an empty Coca-Cola bottle, to add bright colours and confusion to the plain sheets. Another work of his includes a bottle of beer placed next to cotton bed sheets, alluding to the clash of genders. This vagueness may be due to the numerous influences that Doe has, such as his passion for writing poetry and music. Contrary to popular belief, he is also talented at maths, science and fencing. “If you want to be an artist, your must have your mind open”, says his mother. Maria-Magdalena Manolova

he leaflet for the Fickling lecture advertises the talk as one which will focus upon how “the way working with words helps children and young people negotiate - and renegotiate - the world”. The topic sounds serious, intense and potentially, to some individuals, could be considered dull. Ian McMillan’s delivery ensured that we were thoroughly engaged, and dullness could not be further from anyone’s mind. He charmingly regaled the audience with tales of his childhood, his work life and his family. However, underneath the enjoyment and laughter, the lecture offered some inspiring and thought-provoking ideas. His stories ranged from his time on a building site all the way to when he made performance poems with excluded teenagers in a Pupil Referral Unit. Each story had one distinct purpose, to demonstrate how as McMillan so eloquently put, “we are all surrounded by writers”. Each one of us from whatever background or history can write and gain pleasure from the process of writing. At times, poetry, prose and writing like any other art can become shrouded in mystery to the point where it appears inaccessible. A poem is never written by the boy or girl next door, it is always written by some kind of higher intellectual in the British Library. This entire lecture stripped away those stereotypes as he continually reiterated how “anyone can write, anyone can be a writer”. I truly enjoyed the lecture and I would highly recommend going to a talk by Ian McMillan if the opportunity ever arises. Lydia McNeillie

reakfast Hearts/Choirplay is a two piece drama written by award-winning playwright, Robin French. The characters’ proximity to the audience gave the first act, Choirplay, a real level of intimacy. Upon entry to the theatre, we were asked to fill in a piece of paper asking us how we see ourselves in the future. The repeated notions of dreams being what you make of them, enjoying “shopping in large supermarkets”, and not having played “the CD I bought last week” created a beautiful synergy of what it is to want material things and how this can overshadow the quest for happiness. Breakfast Hearts followed, the space remaining the same though all materialistic props were removed, only leaving chairs for each actor and a table in the middle. This short piece of drama is by far one of the most unusual portrayals of love I have observed on the stage. In creating three intertwined and farfetched love stories amongst a variety of relationships, the audience is taken in to this dark and somewhat disturbing portrayal of love. The addition of cannibalism to these relationships sheds a whole new light on the concepts of obsession, control and the need to be with another person. Surprisingly, the true love story of the play is between the two characters that were probably least connected throughout the story, though married by loss and the need for a beautiful romance both at the beginning and end of the piece: the unexpected full circle of love. Charlotte Maxwell

The Addams Family Lydia McNeillie reviews Newcastle University Theatre Society’s spooky production

was unsure about how my Addams Family musical experience would go, when I found myself sat on a front row that left a large amount of uncertainty about where the stage began and where the seats ended. My friend and I spent our first few moments in a panic that we potentially could be prime victims for some audience participation, the worst fear for any timid theatre fan.

Family’, ‘Pulled’, ‘Full Disclosure’ and ‘Crazier Than You’, all of which were added to my iPod as soon as I returned home and have been replayed numerous times since the performance. I will write all these recommendations with a warning that excessive playing of these show tunes may annoy your flatmates.

I did not have any previous experience of The Addams Family musical or Northern Stage before I saw the Newcastle University Theatre Society’s (NUTS) production last Friday (20th February). The only previous association I had with the production was a bizarre cartoon from my childhood which would infrequently grace my TV. So it is fair to say I went to the production with very little idea of what to expect. The only expectations I had, revolved around NUTS’ strong reputation and recommendations from students who told me about their previous entertaining performances. NUTS definitely lived up to their reputation; the performance was committed, passionate and thoroughly enjoyable. The storyline follows eldest daughter Wednesday as she has to introduce her first love and his family to her family for the first time - an intimidating and frightening experience for anyone, but even more complicated when your family has a “passion for the dark”. This spooky interpretation of a coming of age tale has hilarious consequences, made even better by a number of catchy songs and melodies. My personal favourites were ‘Addams

However, even whilst I have appreciated listening to the music since the performance, I have not enjoyed them as much since the show. I believe this change is due to the amazing live music and fantastic vocals of the cast as a whole. Moreover, the songs and the lines in the show took on particular significance with the incredibly strong comic timing of the entire cast. Daniel Lockett as Gomez Adams, Annabel Warncock as Wednesday and Jennifer Amey as Alice particularly shone in this area. Their performances were facilitated by a strong setting and a range of costumes. I particularly liked the ensemble’s costumes as they were central to the creation of the gothic setting which was a vital part of the quirky story line. , My one negative for the entire performance was there were some unfortunate technological difficulties at the beginning of the second act where it was difficult to hear the cast over the live music, but this error was quickly resolved and we were able to enjoy the rest of the show. Either way, I will definitely purchase a ticket to the next NUTS performance and I would recommend you do the same.

“NUTS definitely lived up to their reputation; the performance was committed, passionate and thoroughly enjoyable”

“This spooky interpretation of a coming of age tale has hilarious consequences, made even better by a number of catchy songs and melodies”

Accessible arts Jennifer Hopps can’t seem to get food art off the brain

o last week I wrote my column on food art and, because I’m really interested in it (translation: because I really, really love food, in a very excessive and obsessive way) I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. My Lent resolution is the classic ‘no chocolate’ – so, obviously, I’m torturing myself by looking up ‘chocolate art’. Look away now if you think this column might break your willpower or make you cry. I mentioned Prudence Staite last week, but with this artist, a brief overview is not enough. She makes edible works of art, mainly using chocolate – her philosophy is that “art should be interactive and stimulate all the senses, especially taste”. And I am all for this philosophy. As far as I’m concerned, I wish everything was edible or made out of chocolate. Picture it: the laptop I’m writing this on – chocolate; the chair you’re sitting on as you read this – chocolate; the clothes you’re wearing – chocolate… Anyway, you get the picture.

“Lindt teamed up with the Graduate Fashion Week award winner Lauren Smith to create a chocolate dress – cocoa couture if you like”

They actually have made clothes from chocolate though – no joke. Last year, Lindt teamed up with the Graduate Fashion Week award winner Lauren Smith to create a chocolate dress – cocoa couture, if you like. The dress weighed 50kg and took two weeks to make: I want it so badly, but I’d probably end up just nibbling away at it and breaking bits off until there was nothing left… And then I’d have a real problem. She makes chocolate sculptures for PR events, will do live shows of her chocolate sculpting and makes mosaics out of chocolate as well as sculptures. She featured on The Jonathan Ross Show and some of her clients include the BBC, Cadburys, Disney and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Her sculptures include the Colosseum in Rome, a woman with a hand cart and a stunningly detailed chez-lounge. Her mosaics are my favourite pieces of art she has done. She has done portraits of the Queen, Rupert Grint, Audrey Hepburn, and Will and Kate, to name a few. However, my absolute favourite work she has completed is her Snow White collection of edible mosaics, made up of five separate pieces which each depict a key scene from the story. Perhaps, as I am someone who holds feminist values, I shouldn’t like this fairytale so much, seeing as the woman is utterly reliant on a man and the other woman is an evil old hag obsessed with her looks blah blah blah… but hey-ho (or hi-ho), I really love it – and I love Disney, despite its blatant misogyny. As a modern woman filled with independence and sass, I’m not even sure I want the Disney fairytale ending of marrying my ‘prince charming’. However, what I am sure about is that if I have a wedding, I’m not wasting money on ice sculptures when there are chocolate sculptures around.

32.filmfeatures features

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Film Â Editors: Â Rosie Â Rosie Â Bellini Â & Â David Â Leighton Online Â Editor: Â George Â Smith

Pleasure Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Island

Dude, Â Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â My Â Car?

uuuuuuude. SWEEEEEET. This is quite possibly one of my favourite comedies of all time, and so un-guilty in my eyes that I had to ask around if it was enough of a guilty pleasure before I wrote thisâ&#x20AC;Ś Starring Ashton Kutcher as Jesse Montgomery III and Sean William-Scott (the Stiffmeister) as Chester Greenburg, Dude, Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My Car? is the silliest, most effortlessly hilarious film of its era. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a 90s kid like me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so damn nostalgic, from the pop-punk filled soundtrack to the amalgamation of completely unbelievable events that Jesse and Chester face throughout. After an insane night out, the pair wake up with no recollection of the events of the night before, their twin-girlfriendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; house wrecked, numerous stolen pizzas lying around, a fridge full of pudding, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already guessed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a distinct lack of car. Everything that follows is an attempt to regain said car, piece together the previous night, and to win back their girlfriends along with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;special treatsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which of course is probably sex. Naturally, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite run as smoothly as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d hope. Somehow, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d become entangled in a quest to find the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;continuum transfunctionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, a mystical device that has the power to save or destroy the entire world. Various aliens and cults get the idea that Jesse and Chester have it, and chaos ensues.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It fits right into the excess of late 90s and early 00s stonercomedies, alongside such classics as Harold and Kumar Get The Munchies and Eurotripâ&#x20AC;?

It fits right into the excess of late 90s/early 00s stoner-comedies, taking its place at the top of the field alongside such classics as Harold and Kumar Get the Munchies and EuroTrip. If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough to convert you, it features a stoner-dog. And â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hot chicks.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; And thenâ&#x20AC;Śthe bemused expressions permanently etched on Jesse and Chesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces are enough to carry the entire film alone. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re watching this film and find yourself getting a bit bored (HOW?), just watch Sean William-Scott for a few seconds and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get right back into it. Basically, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even give an argument as to why you should succumb to your guilty desires and watch this film because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just so full of selfindulgent silliness that I guarantee you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to help but cave into the absurdity, even if â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stoner-comediesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your thing. In particular, if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so much as crack a smile at the infamous Chinese drive-thru scene then Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry, but you are made of stone. So, go and watch it. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find yourself among those who see the true genius underpinning the silliness of this film â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hilarity will ensue.

Rhian Hunter

Not Â so Â straight Â and Â narrow George Â Smith Â DSSUDLVHV WKH LQFUHDVHG UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ RI /*%7 LQ WKH Âż OP LQGXVWU\ IURP Brokeback Â Mountain Â to Â The Â History Â Boys, Â LQ UHFHQW GHFDGHV

t has been 10 years since Brokeback Mountain became the must see movie of the year, one of many golden LGBT* movies that 2005 offered. But was that year a flash in the pan of acceptance only to simmer back down after the buzz died? It should have been the start of something, of Hollywood coming out, but progress has been slow. The LGBT* movie has begun to emerge from the edgy art-house cinema, peppered with ill-fitting berets and the fumes of cigarettes, and into blockbuster machine, but so far itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only got a toe in the money jar. Part of what hinders LGBT* movies from raking in Jaws-level bucks is that too often they are re-

garded as adult. Sex is, quite naturally, a key constituent to movies which concern themselves with sexuality (yes, this is not always the case - romance can exist without sex, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not just saying that to get laid). That panting sex-scene from Brokeback Mountain (donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pretend you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember Heathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coy, seductive shivering) was nothing less than ground-breaking. Rarely before had the general cinem- going public been exposed to quite such a visceral expression of man-on-man love. Numerous people didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give thought to the logistics of homosexual sex until buckles were coming undone. A double standard has historically existed in cinema, though thankfully it is being over-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When applied to cinema, the LGBT* label can restrict as much as describeâ&#x20AC;?

come in the last couple of decades, where same sex passions and even the female orgasm has been something pornographic. The LGBT* label when applied to cinema can restrict as much as describe. It serves only to be reductive, implying not that these movies are about the LGBT* community but for it. A number of those movies labelled LGBT* are exceptional romances, Brokeback, Capote, and Blue is the Warmest Color (they misspelled, not me), the label rendering them art-house, secretive and sexual whereas they are often no more so than a Hollywood romance, 50 Shades aside. If, for example, I were to describe Blue is the Warmest Color as my favourite movie, many people would start to heat up their pervert brand ready to stamp it onto my pretty arse. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure that few would regard The Imitation Game as an LGBT* movie. Nor indeed, is it strictly speaking a romance. The fact that it is not overtly LGBT* is much to its credit. The movie is defined not by its sexuality but its other merits, much like Turing is not defined by the fact that he was homosexual but his genius. It is not the story of a homosexual man but a war hero. I have neglected, rather obviously, the T of the LGBT* community. This does seem to be a rather more niche market than the others with few having enormous popular success, transgender cinema still remains appallingly underground. Paris is Burning is among the best LGBT* movies of all time, but remains in the darkened realm of the art house. This is, by and large, the issue. LGBT* is not a popular genre, but a label for speciality cinema, rendering it apparently inaccessible. Yet in reality it deals with the most universal of issues: love and identity.

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he stigmatisation of mental health has been a long-term player in history and unfortunately, it is pretty much the same playing field today. Given that 90% of people with mental health difficulties experience stigma on a daily basis, it really is time for change. However, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little difficult given that the way the media portrays mental health isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exactly helping to dispel the misconceptions and myths that surround mental illness. Typically, there are four stereotypes of individuals with mental illness that mainstream cinema has a tendency to portray: comedic, indulgent, pity-seeking and violent. If we first consider the comedic portrayal, we are given characters who are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;unhingedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for our so-called entertainment. Such can be seen in films such as Me, Myself and Irene in which severe mental illness is depicted as something to laugh about. By playing on terms such as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;schizoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as an apologetic expression towards those who may encounter someone with mental illness, this film is only feeding the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lunaticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stereotype that is unfortunately at large. Bearing in mind that the statistics say it all, in that 1 in 4 individuals experience a mental health problem in any given year, the perpetuation of offensive and misguided terminology is anything but supportive to this proportion of the population. It has always baffled me that this film is aired so frequently on TV and seems to be a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;firm favouriteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in most peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DVD rack.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mental illness and physical illness can be just as debilitating as each other and one should never be deemed as a lesser ailment than the otherâ&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically, there are four stereotypes of individuals with mental illness that mainstream cinema has a tendency to portray: comedic, indulgent, pity-seeking and violentâ&#x20AC;?

I fail to understand any method of indulging oneself at the expense of someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and whilst the classic phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only a filmâ&#x20AC;? continues to ring from peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lips, that only gives me and many others masses of ammunition to challenge and hopefully obliterate the stereotype. Moving on from comedy, we have the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;indulgent fakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pity-seekersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. When we consider pitying and fakery, renowned film One Flew over the Cuckooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nest springs to mind. Whilst this drama, adapted from novel, is intended to depict the functioning of the human mind and the inner workings of an institution, it makes the grave error of proposing that mental illness is highly fake-able. Now, anyone who has experienced mental illness knows that their previous perceptions of what it may be like and what it is actually like are two very different things. Mental illness and physical illness can be just as debilitating as each other and one should never be deemed as a lesser ailment than the other. Having said that, if appearing clinically â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;insaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is as easily achieved as it is in film, there is a clear disparity in this equal acknowledgement of illness. Now we broach the final stereotype: violent. Violence is most frequently linked to psychosis and schizophrenia. Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Saw, Silence of the Lambs - the list goes on and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look as though it will be ceasing any time in the near future. It is arguably the most frequently used stereotype, as cinema plays on recreating the same character: the sadistic, calculating killer with a split personality. As a feature element of horror and thrillers, it is no surprise that the media keeps society in its envelope of fear surrounding mental health issues - the illnesses that cannot be seen. Maybe it is about time some film makers became change makers and created films that promote more sophisticated representations of mental illness and its impact. It really is time to change.

The Courier

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Tuesday 3 March 2015

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I have been touched by your kids...And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pretty sure Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve touched them!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; - School of Rock (2003)

Jupiter Ascending (12A)

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upiter Ascending tells the story of Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), who is thrown into a new world - literally - of intergalactic tensions and friction, a far cry from her job as a boring cleaner for the rich elite. Her genetic signature invites the attention of the obscenely wealthy and powerful Abrasax Dynasty, as it marks her as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;resurgenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (reincarnation) of a murdered alien matriarch, who just so happens to have been their mother. Jupiter finds herself in the middle of a sibling rivalry for wealth and status, and whose riches, as well as youthful looks, come from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;harvestingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the people of their farm planets. Her appearance marks a danger to Belam, the eldest, as she is now the heir to the dynasty and owner of Earth, which is ripe for harvesting. Enter Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered wolf/human splice and ex-military hunter who is intent on keeping Jupiter safe. Sadly the romantic sub-plot of the film is what starts the slippery downward slope for me. I was sat there in the screen just thinking â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;who is believing this love story?!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. She is literally swept off her feet by Caine in his jet boots and seems to fall for him after the first scene with his top off. The clichĂŠ hero and damsel in distress archetypes with virtually no depth to their personas provide a ridiculously unimaginable romance plot. However credit is due for Eddie

Redmayne, who provided one of the best parts of the film through his depiction of chief tyrant sibling Balem Abrasax. I suspect it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meant to be funny but his whispery renditions of the garbled dialogue with intermissions of random screeching, were comical, his English accent making it all the better. The Wachowskiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s follow their Matrix tradition with death-defying falls through the wreckage of planets, buildings, and various CGI explosions, in which Jupiter somehow finds herself inexplicably falling through the air every single time, with Caine coming to the rescue just at the last second. You think he would have strapped some jet boots of her own to her feet so he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to keep interrupting his death-battles to come rescue her. In its seven-month delay to screens, the film was originally dated for release in July 2014, we were told they just wanted to polish off the special effects - but I think what they should have done is

Cake (15)

Whiplash (15)

Theory of Everything (12)

atching the darkly brilliant Cake is a rare treat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; anyone expecting Jennifer Aniston to have churned out another sickly-sweet rom-com is going to be surprised by this film. It seems that Aniston has some real acting muscles, and she isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afraid to flex them. The story follows sardonic and embittered Claire (Aniston), whose tragic past has left her mentally and physically scarred and suffering from chronic pain. A brilliantly cast set of supporting actors breathe life into the black dramedy that follows Claire as she deals with the suicide of fellow chronic pain sufferer Nina (Anna Kendrick). Adriana Barraza and Sam Worthington put in stellar performances as Claireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-suffering domestic help and Ninaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grieving widower respectively. The film centres around the themes of death and suicide; from the aftermath of Ninaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death to Claireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own struggles to accept her past and fight her own suicidal tendencies, the potentially disastrous mix of tragedy and mental health issues is handled expertly. The slow-burning plot translates well to the screen, showcasing balanced, well-scripted and three-dimensional depictions of suicide, mental health problems, chronic pain and addiction. The film is disturbing and upsetting in places; the tense and emotionally wearying scene on the train tracks is a perfect example of the heart-inyour-throat emotion the movie is likely to inspire in its audience. Quickly labelled as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;awards baitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the film has been dismissed by some as too â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;forcedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, with a predictable plot and a disappointing script. The sub-plots - which would have made for a brilliantly rounded story if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d taken up more of the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus - the weakness of the script nor the slightly clichĂŠd third-act reveal do not detract from the sincere and startlingly refreshing performances of the cast. All in all, definitely worth a watch.

should despise Whiplash for being so good. Released in the UK just as I was settling down with my 2014 rankings, in comes Damien Chazelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electrifying breakthrough feature and knocks all but Boyhood aside to become my second favourite film of the year. A precociously fantastic film from the 30-year-old American, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a thriller about jazz, a boxing drama about drumming and a stranger-than-fiction embellishment of real-life torment. Miles Teller is the innocent jazz drummer who is driven to the edges of sanity and glory by J.K. Simmonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; terrifying elite-orchestra leader. There is less a plot and more a simmering sequence of power-plays and confrontations, and the finished product is slicker and more explosively percussive than the titular intimidating drum-solo. Lean and pacey, Chazelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narrative is largely melodramatic, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult not to be swept along by the escalating personal stakes and ridiculous tension levels. It would be nothing without the livewire performances though. I had Ethan Hawke as a dead-cert to win Best Supporting Actor at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oscars, yet J.K. Simmons has shut down that campaign with ruthless efficiency and brutality, giving what might be the most impressive supporting performance since Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. His temple-vein almost gives a throbbing, raging performance of its own, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Simmonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; show all the way. Miles Teller is even more committed to his role than Simmons in terms of sheer physicality and range, but Simmons is unsurpassably pitch-perfect in his trailblazing role. Chazelle takes visual cues and editing flair straight from David Fincherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent work, but he is doing something genuinely innovative blending genres, giving actors the roles they truly deserve and creating a legitimately cathartic experience from an uncomfortable tale of mental and physical abuse. Stunning stuff, and very much my tempo.

n the magical and dramatic roller coaster of emotions on the personal life of the revolutionary theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, director James Marsh has created a true masterpiece. Set in the 60s, the audience sees the young, bright Cambridge scholarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early life studying physics. In a party, he falls in love with Jane Wilde, a witty literature student. Excelling in physics, Stephen aspires to find a universal equation to explain the entire universe. This is soon rendered nearly impossible as he is diagnosed with the motor neuron disease. With Jane fighting bravely by his side, Stephen carries on his cosmetology research and embarks on a bumpy life journey. From the first sequences, cinematographer BenoĂŽt Denhomme had me captivated by the picturesque portrayal of Cambridge. Its serene landscape permeates the tranquillity of the theatre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a perfect backdrop to Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Janeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s romance. Harmonizing with JĂłhann JĂłhannssonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature soundtrack and James Marshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s masterful directing, this awards-worthy production truly embodies artistic perfection. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones display outstanding performances and their long-time preparation for the film definitely show. Redmayne spend six months researching Hawkingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and watching every interview he could find to portraying the physical and mental, gradual erosion of Hawkingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disability. My minor critique on the plot is the extensive emphasis on the biopicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s romantic perspective. As several biographic facts have been altered to match conventional clichĂŠs of romantic drama. This leads to the inadequate and imbalanced display of Hawkingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brilliant scientific work. Nonetheless, never have the opposing dimensions of physics and romance collided this perfectly. Or should I rather say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;complementedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;?

More like this: Still Alice (2014)

Iqra Choudhry

Simon Ramshaw

rewritten the script. Whilst admittedly the cutting-edge special affects throughout the film and the breath-taking animation are astonishing, I find myself thinking that if they had just taken as much care with the bewildering narrative plot as they did with the beautiful scenes of opulence, costume designing, and alien creatures, it would have been amazing. Unfortunately, like a lot of films, Jupiter Ascending relies on audiences being enthralled enough by the seamless artistry of the FX depictions of space to be ignorant of the befuddling story riddled with stock character types. Unless it was a huge advertisement for interior decoration (then which it would be brilliant) Jupiter Ascending provided an amazing sci-fi spectacle which was let down by its frankly ridiculous narrative. More like this: Guardians of The Galaxy (2014) Rebecca Dooley

Ruby Nguyen

7KH *RRG The Â Quiet Â Man

espite Wayneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation being inextricably linked to the Western genre, I would argue that one of his best performances, and certainly my favourite, was as Sean Thornton in Irish culture-clash comedy, The Quiet Man. Irish-American Thornton returns to his native land on inheriting a cottage, and proceeds to woo feisty Mary-Kate (Maureen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara), against the wishes of her ill-tempered brother Will (Victor McLaglen). However, this film is not a typical romcom â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thornton and Mary-Kate marry halfway through the running time, and must resolve their differences over Willâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s withholding of her dowry as man and wife. The filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s themes encompass romance, national heritage and identity, independence and the Protestant/Catholic divide, but all of these are dealt with in deft, humorous fashion. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to mention the ending sequence: surely the most epic (and hilarious) fist-fight on film, complete with half-time pints. Furthermore, The Quiet Man is the film which convinced me that John Wayne was a fantastic actor. Honourable mentions: True Grit, Stagecoach.

The Â Bad: Â 7KH *UHHQ %HUHWV A cringe-inducingly ill-judged pro-war film released at the height of US involvement in Vietnam, The Green Berets faced a barrage of criticism at the time for both its content and pro-war tone. Whilst Wayne took the position of presenting American troops, in particular their special forces, as the best in the world, the film has a serious white-saviour complex, most evident in its two-dimensional treatment of the Vietnamese characters (including George Takei as a painful example of internalised racism, obsessed with â&#x20AC;&#x153;killing all the stinking Viet Congâ&#x20AC;?). The Green Berets is a highly clichĂŠd slice of anti-Communist rhetoric, characterised by the great critic Roger Ebert as depicting a highly complex war in terms of â&#x20AC;&#x153;cowboys and Indiansâ&#x20AC;?, but since Oliver Stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Platoon was written in response, it is, on balance, not perhaps quite as awful as my final selectionâ&#x20AC;Ś

The Â Ugly: Â 7KH &RQTXHURU

There are so many things wrong with this film itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to know where to start. Howard Hughesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; highly fictionalised biopic of Mongolian warriorking Genghis Khan is widely regarded not only as Wayneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worst film, but one of the worst films ever made. Putting aside the highly problematic casting of a white actor in an Asian role (as inappropriate as we might find it today), the overblown plot, excruciatingly bad dialogue, and highly unnecessary forced stripping of the leading lady are just some of the many reasons why this film is so utterly, offensively rubbish. Not to mention the fact that, due to filming in an area where there had been extensive above-ground nuclear testing, within twenty-five years of the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release, 91 of the 220 cast and crew had developed cancer, with 49 having died from the disease. Hughes allegedly felt so guilty that he bought every available print of the film in an attempt to keep it out of circulation. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ugly. Lauren Hickin

34.music

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Music Editors: Jamie Shepherd, Dominique Daly and Chris Addison

Top

dick moves Iqra Choudhry’s been having a good hard think about those pesky musicians and their brattier moments. From Ins- tagram no-nos to Twitter spats, whose made the biggest dick move of them all?

Madonna gets mad Upon finding out that her unfinished demos had been leaked online, pop royalty Madonna went on a rant. A big ol’ rant. A big ol’ rant that was offensive as heck. Likening the theft of her demos to “artistic rape” (yeah, she used that word) and “a form of terrorism” (once again, lovely use of rhetoric, Madonna), Madonna’s hissy fit only seemed to make the internet realise that she’s not quite the Queen she once was, and that maybe she can’t quite make the same impact now, with social media.

Azealia vs Azalea The long-time feud between Iggy and Azealia blew up at the end of 2014 following Iggy’s silence regarding the Ferguson shootings and Azealia’s accusations of cultural appropriation. Azealia Banks asked why black culture was cool, but black issues weren’t. Iggy’s response? “Make it racial! Make it political!” sparked a massive debate on whether or not she understood the seriousness of what she was even saying. Educate yourself Iggy.

Be-lo the belt

Music Editor Jamie Shepherd on the Twitter shenanigans of Diplo

Oh, what became of the local lads Music Editor Dominique Daly tells us why local band Coquin Migale are Newcastle’s one to watch

C I

f there’s one thing more odious than EDM, it’s the proponents of the genre going on like absolute bell-ends. Enter Diplo from stage right and his recent performances on Twitter. The first time I heard about Diplo’s Twitter feed was in November last year when the producer started a Fundly campaign to ‘Get Taylor Swift a Booty’. Of course, the fund went nowhere, raising a measly $95 before the end of the campaign and only receiving 5,117 retweets up until now but this wasn’t the biggest knock down to the ego of Diplo. It was up to pop music’s Antipodean darling Lorde to take Diplo down a size or two (… ahem) with a perfectly composed comeback, suggesting “should we do something bout your tiny penis while we’re at it”. All of this happened in November last year so it was pretty strange seeing Taylor and Diplo cosying up for the camera at this months Grammys, but I doubt everyone else’ll be so quick to make pals. Diplo released an Instagram video featuring the artwork of New York cartoonist Rebecca Mock’s work without credit but when called out on this the DJ responded with nothing less than misogyny. He edited the vid to credit Mock but then took to Twitter to attack Brooks defenders claiming they’d expect him to, “Eat her out and massage her boobs at the same time as well”. Did he apologise? Kind of. In a long-series of tweets to Mock he admitted he had “trollish tendencies” but tried to make Mock’s defenders look like reactionaries. FYI Diplo, this is the 21st century and it hasn’t been acceptable for men to comment on a woman’s appearance publicly since well before the invention of the turntable.

oming together through a union of the old and the new, this Newcastle based four-piece formed when good old fashioned jamming between friends blossomed into something more, and with the addition of drummer Jack via the wonders of the internet (joinmyband.com, if anyone is on the hunt to complete their own lineup) Coquin Migale was born. Releasing their first EP before they had even graced the stage to perform their first show, and now onto their second release, the highly acclaimed Gold, (due for release on the 20th April 2015), has brought in some high profile attention for the band through the likes of NME. The big wigs at the NME took a shine to Coquin Migale’s ‘gale force guitars and math rock rhythms’ which are beautifully pulled together by front man Alex Soper’s effortless vocal. Soper’s voice brings a loose, wavy atmosphere to their sound, lifting the twanging guitars to an ethereal plane. The subtle hook of ‘Gold’ makes it a sure fire hit, set for success.

“The subtle hook of ‘Gold’ makes it a sure-fire hit, set for success” It’s not just NME who have cottoned on to Coquin Migale’s potential, with BBC 6 Music’s Tim Robinson including the lads in his ‘Mixtape of 2015’ and

citing them as ‘Newcastle’s best unsigned band’. Big praise from a station which has been showing big love for the toon of late; perhaps we shall be seeing Coquin Migale at next year’s BBC 6Music Festival – wherever it may be. On top of being hard working students and musicians, the Coquin Migale boys are also a clan of jokesters and if you like their Facebook page be ready to endure some ‘robot voiced’ videos from the likes of Soper and some serious stick shared

“Perhaps we shall be seeing Coquin Migale at next year’s BBC 6Music Festival – wherever it may be” between band mates. You can catch Coquin Migale supporting Peace along with Yak, at the Cluny this Saturday in a sold out show which holds a serious opportunity for Coquin Migale to showcase the indie rock revival.

Sounds like Everything Everything The fast paced lyrics are almost reminiscent of Everything Everything lead-singer Jonathan Higgs’s AK-47 delivery. Both barely stop for air.

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Adios Arthur Let’s be honest, James Arthur should have had his toys taken away from him and been sent to bed hours early without a look at dessert long before he thought it was okay to use the phrase “fucking queer” in an abusive tweet. However, anyone stupid enough to attempt to say such things, and then take an outraged Frankie Boyle on via Twitter is more or less fair game for the rest of the Twittersphere. Make homophobic slurs at your own risk, James mate.

Noel says no way Noel Gallagher had one of his infamous rants about the state of the music industry (yawn!) and told NME that he couldn’t live in a world where Ed Sheeran’s polished pop dominated the airwaves and led to a run of sold-out Wembley shows. Ed’s answer? He tweeted The Independent, saying: “I can live in it, it’s really enjoyable”. And then he went on to text Gallagher and offer him tickets to a show. GO ON, MY SON.

hockwaves were sent through the musical world last week when it was announced that Zane Lowe, the face (or voice) of BBC Radio 1, was going to leave after 12 years of service. In that time, Lowe has worked his way up the pecking order at Radio 1, eventually receiving the prestigious early evening weekday shift. This shift will now be taken over by Annie Mac, who is equally well loved but will give a different edge to the show as Lowe moves onto pastures new. He has signed a deal with Apple, who have recently bought out Beats, and although unspecified, many speculate that he will pioneer a new Apple streaming service to rival the likes of Spotify. For Lowe is just that, a pioneer. He recently res-

“Zane Lowe has left a remarkable legacy, changing Radio 1 for the better and influencing many up-and-coming DJs”

cored the soundtrack for the 2011 film, Drive, incorporating new music he had commissioned from the likes of CHVRCHES, Foals, Simon Neil and The 1975. Although critics will say it did not need rescoring, as the original soundtrack is flawless, it gave the film another dimension as Lowe fulfilled the role of curator and co-producer. He also acts as co-writer/producer of some of Sam Smith’s album, which is often overlooked. On top of this, his role in bringing heavy music into the mainstream is second to none. It was Lowe who first started playing the likes of Bring Me the Horizon in the early evening and this surely had an influence on their growing support. Yet it is the fact that he is so enthusiastic about all the music he plays; he does not pander to the Radio 1 song lists, he creates them. Anyway, enough eulogising about the old and moving onto the new. Annie Mac will have the task of filling Lowe’s rather large shoes and taking

over the weekday show. Ostensibly, both have very different musical tastes, but Mac faces the same challenge that Lowe faced – to incorporate dance music (metal in Lowe’s case) into the mainstream. Although it is already more involved and accepted by society than heavier music, this is mainly down to Annie Mac and her late night show; she has been the flag bearer for British dance music for years. Perhaps her main challenge will be finding a balance between her own style and the Radio 1 approved music; either way she will do well to find as fair an equilibrium as Lowe. Zane Lowe has left a remarkable legacy, changing Radio 1 for the better and influencing many up-and-coming DJs. He will be sorely missed by his listeners, myself included. To be able to men-

“Annie Mac has been the flag bearer for British dance music for many years”

tion Lana Del Rey and Bring Me the Horizon in the same show, and speak of both with the same high levels of enthusiasm is a great skill and his musical knowledge is second to none. Hopefully Annie Mac can be as influential as Lowe and overcome the challenges by filling the gap with her own unique and well-loved style.

The Courier

music.35

Tuesday 3 March 2015

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

thecourieronline.co.uk/music c2.music@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_music courier_music

Drake

Max Palmer-Geaves talks trap, storming dubsteppers and progressive beat makers from Perth Electronic goings on: Flume splits

arlier this week, Drake pulled a Beyoncé, which he descends to…hell? Thought-provoking and released a 17-track mixtape entitled stuff. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late out of Much of the production on the mixtape is done nowhere. The eagerly anticipated fourth studio by 40 and Boi-1da, Drake’s long-time collaborecord Views From The 6, which Drake had pre- rators. With more angular beats and intriguing viously alluded to, is still due to be released in chord sequences than we’re used to from Drake, the future. and the fact that he takes The hype now surrounda backseat on ‘Preach’ and “It’s clear from the lyrical ing Drake’s latest surprise Night Intercontent that Drake has been ‘Wednesday release is equal to that of lude’ to PartyNextDoor, through the wringer” an album. Although mixwhose auto-tuned vocals tapes are usually available take centre stage and do for free, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late was re- both tracks justice. This mixtape feels like a set of leased via iTunes, and has been labelled as a ‘com- fresh new ideas from Drake, and it’ll be interestmercial’ mixtape. In its first week, the mixtape sold ing to hear what he’ll be doing on his next studio enough copies to land him a place at the top of the offering. Billboard 200, and has made him the first rapper to Drake is lyrically as open and candid as he ever top Billboard’s Artist 100 chart. was; from tracks like ‘Energy’, during which he has “I had to switch the flow up on you n****s, shit a rant at everything from his family to his mortwas getting too predictable” - several tracks in, on gages, to the “people tryna drain me of this ener‘No Tellin’ ’, Drake makes it clear that his mixtape gy”; to ‘You & the 6’, an open letter to his mother; is a showcase of a more experimental side to the to mixtape opener ‘Legend’ in which he confronts artist. Moody and intense, Drake seems to be us- the prospect of his own demise, and alludes to the ing the mixtape as a way thinly-veiled suicide referto explore the territory of “Drake seems to be using the ence of a mixtape title. It’s the stand-alone sad rap- mixtape as a way to explore the clear from the lyrical conper. The lyrics are, even by tent that Drake has been Drake’s standards, self-ab- territory of the stand-alone sad through the wringer, but sorbed and reflective and it sure has inspired him by rapper” existential in nature. the looks of it. A promotional video, ‘Jungle’ was released in the Even though the tape clocks in at over an hour, lead-up to the mixtape hitting Spotify and iTunes. it’s a great collection of tracks, rounded off by ‘6pm Scored by Noah ‘40’ Shebib, the video spans almost In New York’ in which he asks, “I wonder what’s 15 minutes and portrays Drake wandering through next for me? Longevity?”. It seems like a given if he the streets of Toronto, wrestling with his demons, continues serving up collections of songs as good trying to distract himself with family and friends, as this. only for the video to lead into a dream sequence in Iqra Choudhry

More than this Joey Bada$$ -1999 Despite Joey being a contemporary rap artist, lyrically and creatively he is imbued with the wisdom of his hip-hop forefathers. His mixtape 1999 is vitally indebted to everyone from De La Soul to MF Doom and was one of the best free releases of 2012. Wiz Khalifa - Kush and Orange Juice Sampling everything from the Nintendo start-up music to the soundtrack of that Zach Braff film Garden State, Wiz Khalifa’s Kush and Orange Juice is a laid back affair that demonstrates Wiz’s propensity for G-funk. Although the release is a lot more commercial than what you’d expect it is still undeniably a Wiz Khalifa release.

Mount the Air The Unthanks

Smoke and Mirrors Imagine Dragons

Let It Reign Carl Barat and the Jackals

t’s been four years since their last release, and with their eighth album, The Unthanks have established themselves as Northumbrian folk music subverters, melding traditional folk with a contemporary twist. In doing so, the result transports the listener into a reinvented past of folklore, love and loss. The Unthanks are present-day ethereal versifiers, telling quaint tales with their celestial and captivating voices which leave the listener feeling melancholic and contemplative. This album transcends previous work, moving into an unearthly realm that at times is like a rich yet bleak tapestry. The album fades in with its title track which builds up to a grand crescendo. After that the album settles in an exquisitely forlorn state. It is when they warp the traditional folk rhymes, such as with ‘Queen of Hearts’ from their fourth album Last, that they are truly in their element. The standout track, aside from the title track, is the beautiful ‘Magpie’ which incorporates the recognisable rhyme with a beautiful darkness that enchantingly bewitches recipients of the yarns they spin. With ‘Hawthorn’, they take Charles Causley’s poem and produces a delicate interpretation. ‘Foundling’, has a heart-breaking dialogue between a mother and child which sends shivers through your skin. ‘For Dad’ is the most progressive track that they’ve produced so far, incorporating a clip of voices which frames the sweet string instrumental. It’s personally disappointing that Becky Unthank’s voice is not heard as much through this album, as with only Rachael’s it makes the album feel wearying. Nevertheless, in comparison to their previous albums, Mount the Air steps into an unpasteurised field which makes perfect sense in the direction their heading and works sublimely, making this album a folk-clad gem. Beth Evans

hen I first heard Imagine Dragons’ debut album Night Visions, I was hooked from the start. Mixing vibrant rock with big hooks and flavourings of hip hop and folk meant that this was one group who stood out from the pack. Sadly things don’t go so well with Smoke and Mirrors. It’s my no means a terrible effort, but their sophomore album lacks the power and consistency of their debut, and sees the group struggling with their identity. Whilst Night Visions had smatterings of hip hop and a quirky electronic backdrop, Smoke and Mirrors centres on a more rock heavy side of the band. Songs like ‘I’m So Sorry’ show a much more menacing, powerful performance, something that works well against the smooth but vulnerable vocals of lead singer Dan Reynolds. When they do rock, they do rock well. The problem is that the rock conviction just isn’t believable enough. The production is more rock central, but this compromised by the desire for big, poppy hooks that will appeal to the masses. It may be some sort of progression in style, but when this style is centred on lazy lyrical content like ‘I Bet My Life’, it just undermines the quality of the work. Potentially the problem is that the group aren’t diverse enough in working with others. Alex Da Kid’s influence on Night Visions was undoubtedly a great blessing, but this time round he only gets two songs, and even then it is nothing special. In trying to keep the record to themselves and go more rock centred, this group has lost its unique appeal. If you are a die-hard fan by all means by this record, but if you weren’t that sold on their debut, this won’t do anything to change your mind. Chris Addison

Electronic Blanket

t seems that Carl Barat will always stand in the shadows of his former glory. This most recent attempt to crawl back into some sort of cultural relevancy with a new band (The Jackals) is just that, over shadowed by the announcement of new Libertines material and Pete Doherty’s post-rehab shows. Let It Reign appears to be something of a stop-gap, something that Barat has used to vent some frustrations before embarking on the successful project which he believes he is owed. The opening and entirely telling track ‘Glory Days’ bursts with the referential wail of Libertineesque guitars and acts as a lament toward a younger Carl and Pete. Spewing with regret, Barat sings of how “you threw it all away, you should have known better”, and with these words he sets up the general tone for the album, one of grumbling bitterness and lost success. Vocally Let it Reign is rather weak; Barat lacks a command to his voice and fails to stand out with any striking originality, instead compensating for such weakness with growl and distortion. ‘Summer in the Trenches’ allies itself rhythmically with previous works but lacks an encapsulating vocal to fulfil its potential. Despite this weakness songs like ‘Victory Gin’ present an overwhelming cocksure-ness from Barat which is quite off putting and highlights the all-guns-blazing style of an album which lacks any poetic depth. The presence of a string and horn section on ‘War of the Roses’ and ‘Beginning To See’ attempts to flesh out an otherwise thin album, which tries to put across some big concepts of failure, torment and regret with simplistic lyrics. Ultimately, Let It Reign lacks the emotional depth intended. Dominique Daly

Flume has announced that he will no longer be a part of trap duo What So Not. The pair, comprised of Emoh Instead and Flume, formed out of friendship - however recently they have been ‘moving in different directions creatively’. They have confirmed that though they are splitting, What So Not will continue with remaining member Emoh taking the reigns, this shouldn’t mark too much of a change - due to the success of Flume, he undertook all the touring duties over the last year. They are due to release an EP, which was written last year and will be What So Not’s last collaborative effort, but despite parting ways the future looks bright for both artists. Flume is set to release his second album later this year, and Emoh has done a fantastic job at the helm of the What So Not ship, solely playing massive events such as the Mad Decent Block Party and releasing club bangers like ‘Jaguar’ and ‘Touched’; it will be interesting to see how the sound develops without Flume’s input. The pair really are a testament to what can be achieved with hard work. The collaborative project started out of the bedroom and now their success has dragged them in different directions. Listen to: What So Not - ‘Touched’

Preview: Pirate Material presents Addison Groove @ World Headquarters, 5th March A definite change of pace for the Pirate Material guys with the choice of Addison Groove; going to this is definitely a no-brainer. This will be his first appearance in the North East, which is surprising considering the pull he must now have, after his genre spanning Boiler Room appearance showcased his skilled approach to crafting blisteringly groovy sets. He’s had releases on renowned labels such as Hyperdub, who have famously been responsible for all of Burial’s releases, and also on Swamp 81, Loefah’s forward-thinking label. It’s safe to say Addison Groove keeps good company. Expect techno grooves, acid bass lines, house, and maybe even a cheeky bit of jungle, all gifted by a man who either was off his nut during his seventyminute Boiler Room set, or he has been surrounded by that environment so long he just lives in that state. The latter could be believed as in a previous life he was a dubstep headhunter, releasing Tempa records and finding artists for renowned label Nomad. The result is an artist who really knows his shit and is keen to share his knowledge; his first time playing the North East won’t be one to miss. Listen to: Addison Groove - ‘Push It’

You Need To Hear This: Ta-Ku This guy has just got it nailed. A true pioneer in the world of progressive beat culture, his album Songs To Break Up To is a wonderful collection of downbeat songs which really takes you on an emotional journey through the midst of the recently dumped. Those of you who like me prefer something a little more up beat should get a copy of his 50 Days For Dilla (Vol.1) album released on Huh What & Where. For that project he wrote a J.Dilla styled beat every day for fifty days and the result is unbelievable, he crashes in with Day 1 and keeps you hooked right until Day 25’s summery Gold Panda-esque chime fades out. To be fair he is just a cool guy in general, (he owns Westons Barbers in Perth check out their Instagram, it’s like men’s hair porn) and he started a wonderful project called Create and Explore which pairs beat makers and photographers in the pursuit of beauty. His remix work is gaining him deserved notoriety, check out his remix’s of Flume, Chet Faker and his most recent effort, turning George Maple’s ‘Talk Talk’ into a smooth, downright sexy, and downbeat jam. Listen to: George Maple - ‘Talk Talk (Ta-Ku remix)’

Max produces under the name of Hues. You can check him out on Facebook or at soundcloud.com/hues

36.tvfeatures

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

TV Editors: Helen Daly and Ellie McLaren Online TV Editor: Rebecca Dooley

The Post-TV Generation?

ike many students, I spend more time than I probably should on Netflix. It wasn’t always this way – until Easter 2014 I had managed to stick to weekly viewing, with the odd foray onto iPlayer if I missed something. That year, I had barely watched any TV at all, as my house had refused to fork out for a license. But then, alone in my student house, working at Easter and bored out of my mind, my sister took pity and gave me her Netflix password. I could have been working on my assignments during those two extra weeks away from my family and friends, but it was not to be. I got through my favourite episodes of Gossip Girl, began my slow-burning appreciation for House of Cards and devoured nearly all four seasons of a truly cringey Australian teen drama (it was a dark time). I have never binge-watched to that extent since, but it was a sobering insight into the hypnotic power of viewing on demand. When I got home, I bashfully confessed to my bingeing, after repeated questions about what I’d been up to, left to fend for myself. My sister’s response? “That’s nothing. I got through Orange is the New Black in two days.” The fact that my father choked on his dinner at this comment was presumably concerning the fact that Alex was, at the time, meant to be studying for her GCSEs, rather than outrage at said programme’s highly explicit content (let’s face it, he watches Game of Thrones).

“I devoured nearly all four seasons of a truly cringey Australian drama. It was a sobering insight into the hypnotic power of viewing on demand”

So why has Netflix become so popular? On demand services for TV and film are nothing new, and in fact, Netflix itself began in 1997 as a traditional pay-per-rental company, mailing DVDs to customers. However, the company began to boom as it switched to a focus on digital video on demand, just as DVD sales began to fall in the latter half of the noughties. In the second quarter of 2014, Netflix had over fifty million subscribers, up from thirty six million in the second quarter of 2013. This incredible rate of growth has coincided with the production of its own, highly acclaimed content, including House of Cards, Arrested Development, Orange is the New Black and The Square. Between them, these Netflix original productions boast ten Emmy awards, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. But even without its original content, Netflix has deals with companies such as Relativity Media, the Weinstein Company, NBC, Sony Pictures Television and the Walt Disney Company, ensuring a wealth of recent releases and selections from their extensive back catalogues. The biggest part of Netflix’s appeal, however, seems to be the access to complete seasons of TV – notwithstanding recent controversy over the decision to put out Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul, week by week – without having to wait in between episodes. Whilst series’ such as Broadchurch (at least the first series) can keep people hooked enough to wait, more mediocre broadcast offerings can’t really compete with the possibility of watching all of The Tudors again (I’m not proud). I’m not sure live TV has had its day yet, but one thing is clear – internet streaming is here to stay.

Lauren Hickin

This is Big Brother, please do not swear With Samsung’s warning about televisions that can listen to our conversations, Sophie Norris imagines a world in which we’re the subject of TV gossip A fortnight ago, Samsung issued a warning to users of their new Smart TVs that the product can allow the company to listen into the conversations of its users and pass on information to third-party organisations for commercial purposes. This invasion of privacy has been widely likened to the fictional world in Orwell’s 1984 where the ‘telescreens’ listened into the conversations of people in the same room as them.

“He thought of the telescreen with its never-sleeping ear” - George Orwell, 1984 It does pose the question of exactly how far this new software could go: could the webcam on our laptops switch on by itself, like in the creepy Channel 4 mini-drama Cyberbully? Imagine the horrors that might unfold. Do we really want the world to see us in all our onesie-wearing glory, spooning Nutella out of the jar on a Friday night whilst scoffing at the crap they say on Gogglebox (whilst secretly agreeing with half of it)? Some people might argue that they’ve nothing to hide, but is this really a case of having no secrets or is it a question of rights to privacy in your own home? Whilst Samsung has stressed that users can disconnect their TVs from the internet if they wish to have private conversations, arguably the whole point of owning a Smart TV is that it can connect to the internet in order for the user to access all its functions. And why is it our responsibility, as TV owners, to get up off our comfy sofa to switch off the internet just to ensure our cringey stories from the weekend are kept between us and our housemates? As couch potatoes, we’re infamous for our laziness - surely Samsung know this by now. According to its website, the Smart TV’s main features are wholly reliable on having internet connection. These include: - access to the Samsung App Store - access to updates, TV and film streaming services - voice control - apps such as YouTube. A spokesman for Samsung has stated: “Please be aware if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information. This information might be among the data captured and transmitted

“Is this really a case of having no secrets or is it a question of rights to privacy in your own home?” to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition.” Here at The Courier, we wondered what gems we’d pick up on if your TV could listen. We recruited a team of secret spies to tell us the funniest, most inappropriate or downright weird revelations our readers make in front of their TV sets, all for your entertainment. Lucy: I’m giving up giving head for Lent. (moment of contemplation) Hannah:: I’m giving up chocolate. Anon Housemate 1: We both have the same remote control Love Eggs now. Anon Housemate 2: Great! We can both swap remotes. Anon Housemate 1: Did you. JUST. SAY. THAT? You are fucked up! Anon Housemate 2: Just a thought...God...

Lily: I’ve never had a pasty. Is that a pasty? Tom: You can get a pasty from Greggs. Lily: I thought Greggs was a hardware store before I came to Newcastle. Harriet: I’m going on a slut-run. Victoria: I refer to some points of my life as ‘slutruns’ but then I realise all my life has been a slutrun. Harriet: Soph, you’ve never been on a slut-run? Sophie: I tried to but I had a reaction to fake tan and no one would sleep with me. * all names are changed to preserve anonymity. We’re not in 1984 anymore. So whilst the sound of a Smart TV which makes TV watching even easier than it is now - removing the need to move your arm to get the remote control from the table, and then all the effort it takes to key in the channel number for Storage Hunters or Jeremy Kyle - sounds absolutely perfect for us hard-working students (cough cough), maybe we should reconsider. I for one am not too keen on the thought of global companies hearing the ins and outs of my life for them to then bombard me with shit via every communication possible. Will they even start tailoring the adverts they broadcast based on my conversations? TV is fab, obviously, but I certainly don’t want them to start taking over the world, thank you very much.

The Courier

highlightstv.37

Tuesday 3 March 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/tv c2.tv@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_tv

Land of trope and glory Tria Lawrence

I The Following

Sky Atlantic, Saturday, 9pm

he Following is back on the box for another season of cat and mouse games between Kevin Bacon’s Ryan Hardy and James Purefoy’s smooth talking serial killer Joe Carroll. The past seasons have followed Bacon’s weary ex-FBI agent exhaustingly chasing an escaped serial killer and his bloodthirsty followers, all whom share a similar passion for bloody murder and destruction. Just your average day in the office, then. The heavy-handed gore and gratuitous violence is not surprising when considering the series’ creator, Kevin Williamson, is also behind Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Last season saw Joe build up his cult following,

Banished

BBC2, Thursday, 9pm

n exciting new period drama is coming to the BBC, set during a period of history that has been comparatively neglected: the early years of the Australian penal colony. Written by Jimmy McGovern, the series will focus on a cross-section of the emerging society: the governors of the new colony; the soldiers who keep guard; and the convicts who form the majority but have been forcibly cast out of their old lives. An emotive trailer for the series depicts the brutality and twisted morality of this little-explored society. Lizzie (Myanna Buring) is publicly flogged for the crime of sleeping with fellow convict Tommy (Julian Rhind-Tutt), because, in the words of brutal Major Ross (Joseph Millson) “convict women belong to my soldiers… if she is not your wife she belongs to my men”. As the Major counts out the lashes, he taunts Tommy as a coward for standing there and watching, as his friend, James (Russell Tovey), forcibly holds him back. The series was filmed both on location in Sydney and in Manchester studios, with a stellar ensemble cast which also includes Orla Brady, Ewen Bremner and Joanna Vanderham. Writer McGovern, the brains behind the quality anthology series, Accused, has said, “How the first convicts survived is the best story I’ve come across in over 30 years as a dramatist… I don’t think I’ve ever written anything so character-driven”. Considering the compelling characters he has created in the past, the skill of the actors involved, and the shocking, intriguing history which has inspired this series, I am very much looking forward to seeing the finished product. Lauren Hickin

but it was suggested that his control over his evil protégées may have been slipping, particularly because he helped Ryan save Claire from one half of the psycho-twins (played by a brilliantly unhinged Sam Underwood) despite it costing him his freedom. Mike continues to live large, and there has been great speculation about the mystery person who picked him up in the tense season finale. Taglines on the posters boast that ‘Joe Carroll was just the beginning’, so we can expect even more psychotic individuals, especially as the actor Hunter Parrish (of Weeds fame), joins the cast as one half of a murderous couple. Despite all the rumours, cards are being held close to the writers’ chests, with the preview only currently available to watch in America. One certainty is that the violence will be as inventive, and as shocking, as ever. Often with programmes such as The Following, there’s an issue of how long one storyline can be played out before it becomes stretched beyond credibility? Take Dexter for example: by the 9th

Bear Grylls: Mission Survive ITV, Friday, 9pm

es that’s right, Bear Grylls is back on ITV with his new ode to jungle survival, which is aptly called Bear Grylls: Mission Survive. This time, Bear is bringing along his fancy celebrity mates for the ride. Big names include Dame Kelly Holmes, Jamelia and Mike Tindall, so it’s clear to see that we’ve got some tough kids of the celebrity world taking part. For twelve days, these celebrities will face seriously challenging tasks; their situations will be stickier than that time they stood in chewing gum on the street and got papped by a couple of photographers. Led by their hero, Bear Grylls, these household names will definitely not be experiencing household type activities; from making fire to catching fish, room service will not be an option. What could make this show interesting is the psychological element behind the experience. Will these celebrities be able to cope in this seemingly extremely immersive experience or will they crack under the pressure? One thing that I really don’t understand about the show is why they felt the need to include the elimination format; surely, if this show is too difficult and challenging, would anyone in their right mind really want to stick it out to the end? If it was me, I’d be as rubbish as possible to try and leave the quickest; although if it was me, I wouldn’t have signed up for the show anyway, so kudos to those that have I guess. Bear Grylls: Mission Survive looks alright; it doesn’t look amazing, but give it a watch and instantly feel better about your slightly damp and shoddy student accommodation – at least you’re not in the jungle. Helen Daly

season you couldn’t help wondering if everybody in the state of Florida, let alone the whole of the USA was secretly a serial killer, and whether they had a secret handshake in order to recognise each other. Purefoy’s serial killer has always been one of the main attractions with his suave charm and terrifying impulsive behaviour, possibly taking the award for the creepiest voice and smile combination. The worry is that with his character now behind bars, as well as characters being killed off in horrific ways, only to be brought back a few seasons later with a dubious half-baked explanations, audiences will lose interest. Yet it is rumoured that Season Four has already been scheduled so it doesn’t look as though Ryan Hardy will be getting the long holiday he surely deserves any time soon. For first-time watchers of The Following I’d recommend watching it in broad daylight, and be thankful that you live in Britain where it only takes Miss Marple to solve crimes. Fiona Callow

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Netflix, Friday, 8pm

he love-child of comedy legend Tina Fey and Robert Carlock (who, if you aren’t cool and in-the-know, created the infallible 30 Rock), Netflix exclusive Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt follows a doomsday cult who are freed and begin life anew in the metropolis of The Big Apple. I could just stop there, because I know you are already intrigued. Kimmy Schmidt, played by Ellie Kemper of The US Office fame (as well as a supporting role in box office smash Bridesmaids) begins life in an underground bunker with best friends Cyndee and Gretchen before they are discovered and thrown into the real world. An interview with The TODAY Show follows, before Kimmy embarks on a stereotypically whacky NY life, which includes shacking up with Broadway wannabe Titus and being hired as a nanny for Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski), a woman who would give the Real Housewives a run for their money. It’s refreshing and hilarious to see modern day life satirised in such a way through the eyes of someone who has spent all of the 21st century in a bunker. The show was originally planned to air on NBC this year, but made a sudden change to Netflix at the end of 2014. And who can blame them? Netflix exclusives such as Orange Is The New Black and Better Call Saul dominate the TV sphere. It also allows for longer episodes and less censorship restrictions, which can only be a good thing for the viewing public; the cast themselves have admitted that jokes which were omitted for NBC have been put back in thanks to Netflix. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be an adventure. Ellie McLaren

The Sitcom Rich-List

f you watch E4, even intermittently, there is no way that you have missed the constant repeats of half an hour long American sitcom. Even though these programmes do have a tendency to be quite similar, I will fully admit that I enjoy them. I relate to these characters because they’re young, don’t know what they’re doing with their lives, and don’t have a lot of money. However, I have a pet peeve with them. The characters on sitcoms always seem to have an insupportable lifestyle considering their incomes. For starters you’ve got the Improbable Food Budget. In a sitcom, the characters seem to live in their Local Hangout where they spend a great deal of money on food and drink. On Friends, Joey is very often unemployed, yet no-one ever suggests that he stop buying coffee three times a day. Although they don’t have a local hangout, I also don’t understand how the characters of The Big Bang Theory very rarely cook their own food – they do have decent wages (apart from Penny), but eating takeaway every night is not healthy for your body or your bank balance.

“Joey is often unemployed, yet no-one ever suggests that he stop buying coffee three times a day”

Although their ability to buy as much food as they want pains me, Friends’ Rent Control is the bigger problem. Think about the flat you currently live in, or think about the size of a Ricky Road flat between six people. Now think about the size of the flats in your favourite sitcom. Considering the size of the places and cost of the places you can get in Newcastle, the idea of getting a bigger flat that was cheap and in a decent area of a city like New York seems completely ridiculous. I still don’t understand how Penny affords a one bedroomed apartment in The Big Bang Theory, when Leonard and Sheldon have far higher wages than her and share across the hall. Sometimes there will be an episode where the character’s money problems are addressed, but they never seem to notice the very obvious solution of downsizing or subletting their apartment. The only place I have seen this done was in an episode of Frasier, when Niles moved from a penthouse to a bedsit after his divorce. For the rest of the sitcom world it seems to be an impossibility. Yet the worst of the character’s problems with money is how they earn it. You could quite rightly assume that they didn’t have a job most of the time as they all seem to have a One Hour Working Week. They are shown to be at work so little that it makes you wonder how they still have their jobs and are still taking in a wage. Broad City works with this – Ilana rarely goes to work or does any work when she’s there, but her boss is so afraid of her that he lets her get away with anything. In contrast, on New Girl you don’t really see Jess at work. Given that most of the episodes occur in the daytime, you probably have to assume that almost everything you see happens on a weekend. From this I have to conclude that sitcoms are dangerous. They teach us that as long as we’re beautiful and young, we don’t have to worry about money because there will always be enough in your bank account for another cup of coffee. Thank God the media keeps reminding us of our student debt and lack of employability.

38.featuretv

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

6XUYLYDO RI WKH Âż WWHVW 7R FHOHEUDWH %HDU *U\OOVÂś QHZ VKRZ Bear Â Grylls: Â Mission Â Survivor RXU ZULWHUV GLVFXVV ZKLFK GRFXPHQWDULDQ FXP VXUYLYDOLVW ZRXOG ZLQ LQ D PDVVLYH QR KROGV EDUUHG SXQFK XS Sir Â David Â Attenborough Oh, come on now. Who are we all kidding? David Attenborough would win hands down in any endurance trial, fight to the death or even talent competition. The man can howl with wolves. Aside from his superior communication skills, over his eighty eight years the national treasure has amassed a crazy number and range of technical talents. Let him loose in the wild with just a pen knife and a sleeping mat and I reckon heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d survive another eighty years with that beatific smile on his face. Even if it came to a fight situation, not a single human being could look into those wise-old-bear eyes and wish him harm. Attenborough owns the jungle. And all our souls, admit it. Leila Nashef

Sir Â Nigel Â Archibald Â Thornberry

Ray Â Mears

Are we really surprised? David wipes the smashing smile off his fellow knight Nigelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face and moves in to the next round.

Nigel Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys (for those of you who lived in a cave during your childhood) is a quirky wildlife documentarian, as well as expert zoologist, naturalist, and survivalist. In a bit of a pickle in the jungle? Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your go-to man. He will identify and provide a solution in minutes. But most importantly he has the best voice known to man, courtesy of Tim Curry. His nasally RP English accent can be used as an eccentric weapon through throwing out sporadic indiscernible noises as well as occasional outbursts of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;SMASHINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in order to distract the others and triumph. Becky Dooley

Bill Â Oddie Ah, Bill Oddie - or as I like to call him, Bumbling Bill Oddie. It may be true that Oddie looks and seems as though heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never make it in a survival battle, but you are all very much mistaken. Bill Oddie will survive, and come out victorious, purely by a happy coincidence. He will bumble his way through whatever is thrown at him, and can use his comedy skills from his time as being part of The Goodies to his advantage, his comedy timing will make sure that he knows when to bumble, and amuse his challengers into laughing and getting distracted. Jack Parker

Attenborough Â vs. Â Mears It was always going to be a tough battle for both parties. David, the allrounder, entered the competition as an early frontrunner, but was always likely to be up against it when tackling this most homely of survivalists. Mears began confidently, but ultimately Attenborough was simply too cunning; after having a conversation with some gorillas he persuaded them to gang up on Mears, who, helpless, was forced to turn tail and run home or face a gorilla-pummelling.

Ben and Kate got spooked about being out of the countryside and simply gave up in the face of Rayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s powers.

THE Â FINAL: Attenborough Â vs. Â Kemp It was the battle we had all been waiting for. We werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really expecting Kemp, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to assume that Attenborough was a safe bet. It was a tough battle and crowds literally gathered to watch the two titans come head-to-head. Ross arrived with suitable swagger and the cast of Eastenders, but even with the aid of Pat Butcher, was no match for the ultimate survivor, David Attenborough, whose extreme knowledge of everything in the entire world meant that he would always be the winner. Ross, you tried, but David was always going to win really.

Michaela Â Strachan Michaela Strachan, once the hottest nature TV presenter the BBC had to offer, would certainly be able to survive in a battle of the survivalists using her good looks. With her smile, she could literally charm the birds from the trees, and command a huge army of birds, like some sort of birdwoman, to do her bidding. With control of the skies, Michaela would certainly have her opponents covered, with regular air strikes, reconnaissance missions (assuming she can speak bird, which she probably can, or at least she can learn to), her competitors will call a truce in no time, unless they have elephants. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allergic to elephants. Jack Parker

I think Ray Mears would be the obvious candidate to be come out on top as the Best Survivor. His list of achievements boast such lofty heights as one of the leading world masters of Wilderness Bushcraft which is not something that many of us can say to have achieved, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure is a transferrable skill many of us could use in everyday life. If that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough he has published many books including the one of catchy title Trips Money Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Buy with Ewan McGregor, which says it all really. Bear Grylls, eat your heart out. Fiona Callow

Oddie brought along his pet elephant and Strachan had an allergic reaction. Underhand but effective from the old-stager.

Kemp Â vs. Â Oddie After toppling the Grylls heavyweight, Kemp entered the competition looking to be the favourite. Oddie was always going to be the underdog, especially if he hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any birds to hand. Bill sent in his army of sparrows, but Ross was too hard to be cracked and simply waded through the storm of birds, packed Billâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case for him and sent him back to his bird watching den.

Ben Â Fogle Â and Â Kate Â Humble It makes sense that these are a pair; their days on Animal Park established them as the only documentary duo I want to watch. As a pair, they are well trained in the natural world: Ben has done his fair stint on Countryfile and Kate regularly runs the shop on Spring/ Autumnwatch. Autumnwatch This pair possess the kind of skills that would be extremely useful in any kind of situation with animals; so basically anywhere in the entire world then. I bet theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d also be excellent company if you were stuck with them; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like the Ant and Dec of the natural world and therefore would be brilliant because everyone loves Ant and Dec. Helen Daly

Bear Â Grylls

Kemp brought Grylls into the open and then, with help from bro Phil, sent him scarpering into the undergrowth. Bosh.

Bear Grylls does some pretty messed up stuff. Like when he took a snake-skin in the desert and brewed a lovely cocktail of snake innards and his own piss. Yup. And remember when he skinned a dead seal and wore it as a thermal vest? Or when he got stung by bees and his face blew up to twice its usual size, but he just dealt with it and soldiered on? Obviously the things he does are completely vile and I doubt a single one of us would do the same, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beauty of the badass Bear. He does shit none of us would think of in a survival situation, and it works. Rhian Hunter

Ross Â Kemp Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the ultimate hard man who cut his super sharp teeth on the Eastenderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s square: yes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Phil Mitchellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solid brother, Grant (AKA Ross Kemp). Is there anywhere this man hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been? From experiencing life on the front line in Afghanistan to travelling the seas looking for pirates, this man has really been there and done it all. If I was stuck in the middle of nowhere, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine anyone else I would rather have protect me from gangs and pirates but the, quite frankly, legendary Kempy. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been everywhere, done everything and has probably got a few t-shirts as well. #TeamKemp. Helen Daly

The Courier

sciencefeature.39

Monday 2 March 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/science c2.science@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_science

The medicinal value of art

Can culture and science combine? Natalie Farmer discusses how reading can aid science understanding and empathy

eading: many people can take it or leave it. Why spend a week reading a book when you can experience the same plot in a 90-minute movie? It’s all the same thing. You experience the same emotions, the same pull towards the characters, the same need to know what happens next – only with movies, you get there much faster. Right? Wrong. Coming from a long line of readers, it is deeply ingrained in me to say that this is very, very wrong. Not to the extent where I hate movies, but to the point where I think that they contribute extremely different things to us – as people, and as a race. I believe that both the written word and film add to our learning experience, and can, in fact, make us better. And there’s evidence to prove it. “Deep reading” is a term used to describe a process that can only occur within the brain when reading the written word. Not online, not from a screen, but from a proper book, one that involves turning pages and breaking the spine. The cognitive brain processes the information being read and not only “translates” it into a medium that we can understand, but also comprehends, reasons, analyses and reflects on it such that we gain an insight into the true meaning of the words. And it does all of this in milliseconds.

“I believe that both the written word and film add to our learning experience, and can, in fact, make us better”

Studies have shown that activating this part of the brain makes people more empathetic and able to view the world from another perspective, a skill vital to many careers that we as students hope to pursue. And it’s not just restricted to books. Other studies have shown that medical students who watch medical films are not only more empathetic towards patients, but also towards other individuals in general. This could be applied to all subjects, not just medicine. Take The Theory of Everything, for example. It addresses many different aspects of Stephen Hawking’s life, including motor neuron disease

and his book, A Brief History of Time. A Brief History of Time made The New York Times Best Seller list following the film’s release, despite addressing difficult topics in cosmology. The film itself encouraged people to pick up a copy and read it, both increasing their knowledge of physics and activating the brain as described earlier. Medicine In Literature and the Arts at Newcastle (MILAN) utilises this concept to encourage both the use of books and film in learning. As a new society within the university, it aims to explore health-based narratives through books and films, promoting empathy and creativity in medical education. “MILAN started out as an idea to produce a reading list of literature for first year students to accompany the Patient Centred Medicine (PCM) seminars I deliver to first year medical students,” says Dr Eleanor Holmes, founder and director of MILAN, “the Walton Library has a wonderful collection of literature, poetry, graphic novels, plays and DVDS with health and medicine themes. This was the seed of an idea that grew into MILAN.” The yearly MILAN film festival takes place in the first week of February, during which 5 films are shown, for example this year included the classic One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. They are accompanied by a post-film discussion involving experts in the field from across the whole uni-

versity. The MILAN book club takes place on the first Thursday of every month. Book clubs have been shown to attract those who are eager to learn and those who are generally more curious. Studies show that reading and discussing books may enhance learning and could be useful as a supplement to the curriculum. The first MILAN meeting will take place on Thursday 5th March at 6pm in the Walton Library (on the fifth floor of the medical school), during which Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro will be discussed and the book for the following meeting (Thursday 7th May) will be selected. The meetings are not just restricted to medical students, a point which Eleanor emphasises hugely, saying that “all are welcome and you don’t need to be a medic or affiliated to the Faculty of Medical Sciences to join in.” As students, we can all appreciate that finding time to watch a film that isn’t on Netflix (or, God forbid, read a book) is tough, what with trying to juggle lectures, dissertations and hangovers. Myself and the other students of MILAN strongly believe that the time spent is well worth it, however, and hope to convert the rest of the student population. Readers in today’s society are a dying breed, and it’s up to us to save them!

Top 5 Medical books: 1. The Physician, by Noah Gordon 2. Do No Harm, by Henry Marsh 3. A Country Doctor’s Notebook, by Mikhail Bulgakov 4. The Citadel, by A.J. Cronin 5. A Reckoning, by May Sarton

0HGLFDO ¿ OPV 1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) 2. Memento (2000) 3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 4. Ikiru (1952) 5. Wit (2001) Terrible picks from your editors: Casualty 1900s (TV), Surgeon Simulator 2013 (Game), Operation (Game), House M.D (TV), Alien Autopsy (Film), Theme Hospital (Game), Pregnesia (Book), Grey’s Anatomy (TV)

Image: Steve

Body World: making educational art pieces from the dead Conor Dowling gives us the lowdown on the Life Centre’s popular exhibition and why you should go check it out

cience meets art in the most delicate way in this exhibition plucked from the mind of ‘The Crazy German Doctor’ of modern times. Guenther von Hagens: Part physician, part selfmade millionaire genius and part Dr Frankenstein. You may remember him from that late night Channel 5 show in which he taught basic physiology through the gruesome dissection of various cadavers… oh, just me then? Okay. Moving on. Guenther made his millions by pioneering a body preservation method now known as ‘plastination.’ It involves the injection of a plastic resin into the bones, tissue and blood vessels of the recently deceased which inhibits their degradation by microbes. Think Autoglass, but for your Nan. As his understanding of this new technique grew, Guenther transformed his recently preserved volunteers into astonishing art installations through the careful positioning of limbs and the selective cross sectioning and preservation of different body parts.

“‘Body Worlds: Vital’ at Newcastle Life Centre achieved a rare feat by seamlessly combining beautiful artwork with real informative science”

The Body Worlds exhibition at the Life Centre was the first time in which a part of Guenther’s collection had visited the UK, and as a result included some of his most ambitious works. Personal favourites of mine were ‘One Body arguing over its own internal organs’, ‘The Rooster Vasculature’

Images: Pattymoony

and the ‘Totally Expanded Fisherman’. Each one of these pieces are more difficult to describe than you may think, so you’ll just have to see them for yourself! The real beauty of this exhibition, and Guenther’s work on the whole, lies in that it isn’t simply a gorp-fest. The exhibition included accessible, yet unpatronising physiology lessons through use of preserved sections of whole bodies and isolated organs. Unlike cross sections you may find in a lab, these organs are completely ‘unpickled’ and are the

closest we can get to seeing what is occurring inside us without undergoing surgery or committing GBH. Many of the pieces on show were linked to human health and nutrition. It’s one thing to hear about how horrible a lifelong smokers lungs might look, but to see them ‘in the flesh’ certainly makes one think about having that social cig after a couple of pints. Needless to say, ‘Body Worlds: Vital’ was very popular indeed. It attracted millions of customers

from around the UK and its popularity resulted in it being kept open from June ’14 until January ‘15 opposed to November ’14. You must be daft if you didn’t give it a go, but don’t fret, Gunther’s collection is so huge and there are popular, permanent installations in many major cities around the world. And if its success in Newcastle was anything to go by, it won’t be long until it returns to Britain. ‘Body Worlds: Vital’ at Newcastle Life Centre achieved a rare feat by seamlessly combining beautiful artwork with real informative science. My ver-

40.science&technology

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Science Editors: Laura Staniforth and Penny Polson Online Science Editor: Jack Marley

Labradorable or pawful?

The pure breed dogshow Crufts will be airing this weekend. We asked Anna Jastrzembska and Iqra Choudhry to explore the good, the bad, and the ‘pugly’ behind pure breeding dogs

Barking up the right tree

majority of dogs end up in animal shelters because they are in some way ‘unsuitable’ for their owners. Choosing a pure breed lowers this risk as purebred dogs’ traits are more predictable, and, let’s be blunt, if you pay so much for a dog, you are less willing to abandon it. Each breed has its set of genes which determine a lot of physical and some behaviour traits. One of the biggest concerns when considering getting a dog is its size. If you live in small flat, you would not choose a German Shepherd, just as you would not expect your Jack Russell to grow too big. On the other hand, if you get a mixed-breed puppy, you hardly know what to expect - unless you know its genealogical tree, which is quite rare. At the same time, a pure breed determines much more than a size. You know more or less how the puppy will grow up to look, including the length and colour of its coat. If dogs’ hair lying/flying/ sticking everywhere bothers you, you probably would not choose a spaniel but might consider getting a Westie. There are even some dog breeds, like Yorkies, which thanks to selective breeding are more suitable for people with dog allergies. Purebred dogs are also quite predictable in terms of temperament and behaviour. You expect your Border Collie to need a lot of exercise, but not so much of a Shih Tzu. You know that terriers tend to be small, yappy energy bombs (I write it with all the love of a terrier owner) and retrievers are friendly and placid. Obviously, every dog has its own character, but different breeds were selectively bred for different purposes. Therefore, if you carefully choose the breed and the breeder, there is always a handful of things that you can expect. And, speaking of which, there are whole websites, guides, and even dog breed consultants which are all dedicated to help you select a right dog breed.

A brief history of Crufts

rufts shows were initiated by Charles Cruft in 1891. However, the Best In Show award did not start until 1923, where the first winner was a Greyhound called Primley Sceptre. Charles Cruft’s wife took over the management of the Crufts show upon Charles’s death in 1938, but the show was relinquished over to Kennel Club control ten years later. Arguably the most enjoyable part of the show is the agility section, where the dogs must complete obstacle courses. The popular agility contest began in 1980, although rescue dog agility trials were only relatively recently introduced in 2000. In 2011, measures were introduced to improve the health of pure-breeding dogs. Vet

checks were required before awards were confirmed for breed winners for all shows after 2012. However, some argue that this has not gone far enough to protect the health of the dogs involved in Crufts, and the wider pure breeding community. Other ethical elements also come into play when considering the many rehoming centres around the UK and abroad that are fighting to adopt out many cats and dogs. Is it okay to breed more dogs when there are so many in need of a new home? These tough questions are tackled in our writer’s collum, which walks through pure breeding - the good and the bad.

Below: A painting of a pug from 1802 (Left) compared to photograph in 2003 (right). There are many examples of how body shapes of dog breeds have changed over the years, although it should be noted that not all selective breeding leads to health problems.

Image: William Secord

Image: Sannse

“Some dog breeds, like Yorkies, are more suitable for people with dog allergies thanks to selective breeding” Most opponents of pure breeds point to the health problems. The truth is that when you choose a breed you usually know what to expect health and longevity-wise. As a rule, smaller breeds tend to live longer. Golden labradors are more prone to problems with joints, and basset hounds with eyes, while Beagles are considered to be quite healthy. But most problems with pure breeds can be traced back to the breeders. Responsible breeders carefully match dogs to limit the health problems, some even use genetic test results, all to ensure that a puppy will grow into a healthy and intelligent dog. Owning a purebred dog also has its social benefits - you are automatically accepted into your local or online circle of other owners of the same breed. You and your dog make friends and gain a very useful advice and support resource. You will always find somebody that has the same concerns about their dog as you do. Not to mention the whole merchandise produced for dog-crazy peopleyou can decorate your room with everything pugs or dress yourself only in clothes stating ‘I love my Westie’. Anna Jastrzembska

Image: dbking

It’s a doggy-don’t

n the run-up to the world-famous Crufts Dog show, the biggest of its kind in the world, it’s important to consider the effects that shows like Crufts have on the people who breed purebred dogs for the sole purpose of selling them at these shows, or training them to compete in them. In 2009, animal rights charity PETA launched a campaign against Crufts and similar shows, attacking the apparent disregard for the health and wellbeing of competing dogs and the purebreds sold by breeders to punters at the shows. The charity went so far as to compare pure-breeding techniques for producing dogs with specific characteristics to Germany’s inhuman eugenics program of the 1930s and 1940s.

“The flattened faces of pugs and bulldogs are brought on by selective breeding; the shortened nasal cavities of these dogs mean they have more difficulty breathing” That kind of statement can’t be taken lightly, and although Crufts has since shifted its focus on the dogs competing (they only accept healthy dogs now), it needs to be said that selective breeding for producing purebred dogs is a practise that often spells out harm for the dogs involved. A little digging reveals that different breeds of purebred dog are at risk of various health risks and serious veterinary conditions, which are not necessarily found in dogs that are not selectively bred. For example, basset hounds and dobermans are at increased risk of conditions that affect blood clotting; dobermans are also more likely to die suddenly of cardiovascular diseases. Big dogs such as Great Danes, Rottweilers and labradors are at a greater risk of developing bone cancers, and this is due in part to their size. The flattened faces of pugs and bulldogs are brought on by selective breeding; dogs with this characteristic have a shortened nasal cavity and therefore more difficulty breathing. And it seems that the selective breeding isn’t strictly a canine phenomenon. Across the cat-loving world, cats with specific traits are also being bred because they are considered rare novelties, and therefore desirable to own. The deformity leading to ‘twisty’ cats has led to an inhumane craze for the animals, and in order to keep up with the demand for these creatures, breeders have specifically bred kittens with the deformity in question. Once again, the health and wellbeing of the animal in question is put aside in favour of its value as a rarity. Selective breeding for breeds such as Pekefaced Persian cats, who have difficulties breathing, and Manx cats, who are likely to suffer from conditions such as Spina Bifida and pelvic problems, ignores these inherent health risks, because cats with such characteristics are highly sought after. Although different countries and legislative bodies across the world have introduced legislation to limit the damage that selective breeding does, it does not seem like enough. As long as breeders are selectively breeding for qualities which evolution would have stamped out naturally in order to turn a profit, there will still be a clear issue in the world of purebred pets. And shows such as Crufts leads me to beg the question: if we carry on legitimising the damaging results of selective breeding by giving such breeds the value that Crufts affords them, how can we expect this to stop? Iqra Choudhry

The Courier

technology&science.41

Tuesday 3 March 2015

thecourieronline.co.uk/science c2.science@ncl.ac.uk | @courier_science

Fly me to the moon Michael Hicks explores the recent discussions about the sovereignty of the moon

few weeks ago, the United States took a small step to encourage companies to start looking to the skies for their business endeavours. According to some documents obtained by Reuters, “U.S. companies can stake claims to lunar territory through an existing licensing process for space launches”. Reuters specifically mention that Bigelow Aerospace (which has been developing an inflatable space habitat, whatever that means) has been seeking the permission of the Federal Aviation Administration to carry out the venture on a “noninterference basis”. The US were the first nation to set foot on the moon on July 20th, 1969 with the Apollo 11 mission, so what exactly is the problem with seeking to undertake commercial ventures on the moon? Well, it’s time to put on your tie-dyes and bust out those Beatles songs, because we’re going back to the 60s - specifically the Cold War. For those who aren’t aware, the Cold War was a state of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, which lasted until 1991, which saw the collapse of the Soviet Union after a series of revolutions.

ies such as the planets of the solar system are “not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means”. Another clause of the Outer Space Treaty states that the state is held accountable for any damage to said celestial bodies done by that state’s space-craft. The reason why the FAA is very hesitant in granting Bigelow a licence to operate on the moon is because that granting land on the moon for commercial use would violate that treaty, but discussions are being held to sort out a solution. You may think that this is just limited to space, but there’s a very similar situation to this much closer to home. Antarctica is subject to much of the same treatment as the moon in that a treaty devised in 1959 (imaginatively called the Antarctic Treaty) prevents any new claims to land in the Antarctic, and it is considered politically neutral.

Although quite a few countries have claimed land on the Antarctic (including the UK, New Zealand and France, among others) the validity of these claims are not universally recognised. In 1983, there were talks between a coalition of countries to begin mining on Antarctica; but the Madrid Protocol of 1998 stopped this from occurring, stating that “Antarctica is a natural reserve devoted to peace and science”. So in theory, nobody should own the moon, because of a dusty piece of paper that is old enough to be your dad. This treaty is the only thing that is currently stopping countries launching nuclear warheads into orbit, and as such is what politicians and other powerful folk would call a big deal. As such, any venture on the moon (or anywhere else in space) has to be carefully gone through with a fine-tooth comb to satisfy the UN. Once again, politics is the reason we can’t have any fun.

“It’s time to put on your tiedyes and bust out those Beatles songs, because we’re going back to the 60s”

The reason why this is relevant to the moon is this provides the context for the ‘space race’. Space (and specifically who could get there first) was a major point of contention between the two superpowers. There was a very real possibility of orbitally-placed nuclear weapons, capable of striking anywhere at anytime with several megatons of death from above. In response, the United Nations created the Outer Space treaty, which was signed in 1967. While this was mainly created to stop said nuclear weapons from reaching space; the treaty also established who owned what of the moon; which is that basically it’s owned by both everybody and nobody at the same time. Outer space, the moon and other celestial bod-

The immaculate inception

Ruby Nguyen investigates the strange process of ‘foetus in foetu’, where babies absorb their twin

oetus in foetu is a rare developmental abnormality in which a mass of tissue becomes enveloped inside the body of a foetus. While its origins remain disputable, two theories have been formed which attempt to describe why this phenomena occurs. The first theory considers the tissue mass to be alive, but merely in terms of its biological condition. It resembles a foetus but possesses similar biological components to that of a teratoma. A teratoma is a type of tumour that can appear akin to a malformed foetus. It can, at best, become an especially well differentiated, ‘benign’ teratoma that can develop - e.g skin and teeth or, at worst, a high-grade metastatic teratocarcinoma, a fast-spreading, malignant type of cancer.

Image: Wolfgang Moroder

Image: George Méliès

Whale of the Week Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)

Illustration by Becky Irvine

The second theory acknowledges the mass tissue to be a foetus that has been enveloped by its twin in the womb. Normally, two separately fertilized eggs would form fraternal twins, while a single, separated egg will produce a pair of identical twins. However, the separation process does not always end successfully. If things go wrong, twins may be conjoined as a consequence of an unsuccessful separation. During this process of the earlier gestational stage, a foetus becomes trapped inside the other one and ultimately results in a foetus in a foetu. The trapped foetus commences parasitizing inside the other foetus and survives by feeding on the twin’s blood supply. It can develop further but will always fail to complete maturation, which leads to the absence of, for example, a functional brain, heart, gastrointestinal tract or lungs. The parasite’s existence and maturation depend extensively on the host twin and can greatly and painfully impair his physical condition. Very often, the true nature of the mass tissue cannot be identified due to lack of evidence. However, teratomas occur more often than foetus in foetu. The only proof that can classify the mass tissue to be a foetus in foetu is the presence of a backbone.

“His belly had always been abnormally swollen, which made him appear as if he were pregnant at full term”

One well known case of the parasitic twin theory can be found in India. In 1999, 36-yearold Sanju Bhagat was hospitalized in Nagpur for having respiratory problems. According to Bhagat and his family, his belly had always been abnormally swollen, which made him appear as if he were pregnant at full term. The subsequent emergency surgery after his hospitalization turned out to be both surprising and shocking for the doctors because they initially anticipated an extraordinarily large tumour. However, the involved surgeon felt the touch of bones as he first put his hand inside Bhagat’s stomach. Then he pulled out one limb after another, followed by parts of genitalia, hair and further limbs. This case has attracted attention due to its unconventional length of time the host had carried his parasitic ‘twin’ inside him. Additionally, the fetus was unexpectedly large and well developed due to its direct tapping from its host’s blood supply. Sanju survived the operation and has reportedly recovered well. Fortunately, this incredible medical phenomenon is extremely rare with an occurrence probability of 1 in 500,000 live births, whereby less than 100 cases are known worldwide up-to-date. So your baby probably won‘t be born with a parasitic twin living inside of them... but it is not impossible.

42.gaming

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Gaming Editors: Sophie Baines and Ben Tyrer

Essential Mods for Skyrim

Tech: N New ew Nintendo 3DS

Skyrim is one of the best Michael Hicks weighs up releasing a new handheld so soon after the original model release open-world games around, eleasing revisions to their handheld con- Smash Brothers and Monster Hunter soles has always been a part of Nintendo’s 4 Ultimate, and my impressions but as Laura Staniforth business plan; some were more success- is that the new stick works very says, there’s a few things ful than others. The Game Boy Pocket (which well for camera control, but launched with the original Pokémon games) feels a little clunky for inputs. that modders do better worked wonders for the aging handheld, whilst Nintendo have tinkered with

Left hand rings duggelz Skyrim seems to forget you have ten usable fingers. The game itself allows only equipping a single ring on your right hand, which is useful for enchantment buffs but could be so much better. This is where our friend duggelz comes in, adding left-handed rings that can be crafted, bought or found. This adds an extra enchantment slot that could make all the difference in a fight, and can be equipped by followers too. They’ve also added the ability to change rings like The Bond of Matrimony to the left hand for a smidge of authenticity.

Follower trap safety Alek Some people use followers, others don’t. I personally like having a companion when travelling so I can use them as a pack mule. I do not like them when they blunder into a pressure plate or a trip wire, and get caught in a loop of dropping to their knees, being healed, and then repeating the misadventure seconds later. This mod changes some base scripts so followers and summoned creatures just don’t trigger these traps anymore, leaving you to do your marauding in relative peace.

Lightweight potions and poisons JustinOther Okay, this mod is kind of cheaty. But if you’re a terrible hoarder like me, it makes life so much easier. When levelling alchemy, I mass-produce potions like some horrific dealer, get over-encumbered, dump everything in a chest and grumpily forget about the venture. This mod drops the average weight from 0.5 to 0.1, enabling you to carry about that Frostbite Venom you swear you’re going to use one day (but let’s be real you never will). I myself found I’d accumulated 126 minor health potions without noticing.

Unread Books Glow dugglez The world of Thedas is practically dripping with lore, and I love all of it. If you just want to collect the books for your personal Skyrim library or are interested in actually finding out about that Argonian Maid, this mod does exactly what it says on the tin. With different colours for skill books, spell tomes, and quest books too, there is a practical application beyond being a big nerdy nerd. This mod is a little buggy, but is that really a big price to pay for a copy of ‘Cats of Skyrim’?

Stone of Barenziah quest markers Turn-on-a-Dime I really hate the No Stone Unturned quest. You have to find 24 of these gems without any hint as to where to look, literally turning your objective into ‘scour the whole of Skyrim and hope you’re being observant today’. A lot of the gems are found in major quest areas, but others are in nondescript dungeons. This mod is a godsend as it’ll give you a handy quest marker to each location, ensuring you’ll not miss a single one as you trample through the back end of Skyrim. All these mods are available from the Steam Workshop and are handy ways of improving the game.

Game Boy Micro failed to re-capture that same spark for the Game Boy Advance. The launch of the New Nintendo 3DS (and the XL version) mark the fourth iteration of Nintendo’s aging 3DS in as many years - so is the this new version worth the upgrade, and will it help breathe some much-needed life into the system? For the purposes of this review, I’m reviewing the regular model, but I’ll be giving a brief comparison with the XL. First of all I’m going to address the elephant in the room: the name is dumb. Nintendo has a recent tradition of poor naming conventions (we’ve all heard the jokes about the Wii U) and the New 3DS is no exception. I’m going to hazard a guess that the system has already added to the confused mess that is the 3DS line-up, and the name ‘New’ 3DS will probably get old by sometime around June. The New 3DS comes in two models: the regular one, which is slightly larger than the original 3DS, with larger screens and the ability to swap faceplates; and the XL model, which is a larger piece of hardware with bigger screens (similar to that of the previous XL). There’s a few physical differences with this new model. The volume switch has been ditched in favour of a slider located on the left-hand side of the top half, which is a much better location since you’re way less likely to knock it. The power switch has moved from next to the touch screen to the bottom of the unit. This isn’t too bad, but you might knock the button while playing or while it’s in your bag. The stylus and card slot have also moved to the bottom of the unit, which is very hard to get used to, but at least no one can eject your games while playing them now. The wireless switch has gone completely and is not controlled via the 3DS’ menu screens, meaning it’s far less likely to miss a Streetpass. The new model also just generally feels like a much more solid unit than it’s predecessors, which at times could feel a little poorly put together. The other major change is the addition of the second stick and two new shoulder buttons, which essentially means the new model incorporates the much-maligned Circle Pad Pro accessory into the system. The new stick is less like a traditional analogue stick and more akin to one of those nubs from old notebooks. I’ve tested this new stick with

what’s under the bonnet too. The new model boasts a much improved CPU, meaning that general navigation and loading things such as the eShop is now much faster. Nintendo plans to capitalise on this by releasing games exclusively for the New 3DS; starting with a re-release of the cult Wii hit Xenoblade Chronicles.. The 3D has also been giving a considerable overhaul and is much more usable. The 3D of the old models were infamous for being incredibly finicky; you had to practically remain motionless to actually see it. The ‘superstable 3D’ of the new model works by using the camera to track your head (shown by a little red light next to the lens, like you’re playing with HAL 9000 staring at you), meaning the field of view is much better;, although the ones I’ve tested have some trouble detecting my face for some reason. The new model also incorporated the same NFC tech as in the Wii U, meaning these new models are compatible with all of those lovely Amiibos that you wish you could buy but aren’t in stock anywhere. To conclude, the new models are a huge improvement over all of the original models, and the improved innards of the system makes me excited to see what stops Nintendo pull to make sure the 3DS goes out with a bang. If you don’t have a 3DS yet, one of these two is definitely the best option if you can afford it.

App Review: One Piece F Sakura Brandi samples piracy of another kind in One Piece

or those of you that don’t know, One Piece is a super popular manga and anime (Japanese comic and cartoon) with millions of fans worldwide. It tells the story of a young pirate, Monkey D. Luffy, and his crew as they sail the seas to find the one piece and make Luffy King of the Pirates. This game aims to encapsulate the key moments in the story into a turn-based role playing game concise enough not to bore players who may be new to it all. Other than the obvious fact that it’s a source for deadly amounts of spoilers, this game surprisingly works smoothly and successfully.

“The artwork is true to the original and uses frames taken from episodes”

From the beginning, it has the potential for a vast amount of content, as the anime episodes alone are almost countless (677 episodes to be exact). The artwork follows true to the original style and progresses in the same way the anime did, sometimes even using frames obviously taken from the original episodes. Since the Straw Hat pirates proceed their journey by forever travelling to new islands, it presents a perfect opportunity for the game developers to use each island as a central piece for

their story progression. The game play feels natural and is easy to get used to, while the adaptations of classical game items to things existing in the anime allows even the most ardent fans to get their fill. What I found was pretty interesting in this game was that, unlike other games in the same genre such as Brave Frontier, it gives you the opportunity to be more involved with the attacks and combinations your ‘crew mates’ can achieve. Combo boosts are given depending on the timing of the user’s click on each character and in particular situation ‘tandem attacks’ can also be made. These attacks require not only perfect timing but also the correct type of character in your crew, pressed in the right order. This game manages to truly represent the essence of One Piece while still making it an interesting game and its definitely worth a play, whether you’re a fan of anime or not.

Preview: NU CATS 24 hour game-a-thon

Newcastle University Computing and Technology Society are gaming for charity

n the 7th March, CATS are starting a 24 hour marathon to raise money for the charity Extra-Life, who raise money specifically through gaming marathons for children’s hospitals and suffering children. Held at the Rack in the Daysh Building, CATS are intending to game for 24 hours, and have received sponsorships from big names like Nintendo, 2K Games and Naughty Dogs. During the event there’ll be opportunities to win magnificent prizes and exclusive merchandise available for attendees. The society are hoping to raise a couple of hundred pounds or more on the night and invite all Newcastle Students to come along and have a good time. Chris McQueen, one of the events organisers, says, “It’s for a great cause - funding children’s hospitals. We’ve got some major sponsors with Nintendo, 2K, Team 17 and more, so some truly great prizes - also free gaming magazines, memory sticks and a ton of movie codes. It’s VITAL people fill the form otherwise we can’t allow entry”. The form is available on the NUSU website so fill it in and head along for a good night.

The Courier

gaming.43

Tuesday 3 March 2015

What Â Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Â playing: Â Besiege James Â McCoull Â constructs Â suitably Â convoluted Â death-Âdealing Â apparatuses Â in Â this Â physics Â sandbox Â puzzler, Â where Â the Â missions Â lie Â in Â murdering Â farmers, Â stupid Â knights Â -Â Â and Â sheep

he Renaissance is typically the era most commonly associated with innovation, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to hand it to the ancient and mediaeval engineers: they sure knew how to build a war machine. And now, well over a thousand years after the invention of the trebuchet, the catapult, the cannon and all those other experiments in the industrialisation of warfare, so can you! Besiege is a physics simulator that hands you a toybox of tools to build a wood-and-iron war machine and go psychopath-ballistic on castles, villages, armoured knights, and sheep. You start a level with a single metal cube, around which you build whatever engine of chaos your warped little imagination can fathom. I began with a simple wheeled device that had four rotating arms, each packed with whirling buzzsaws. Trundling towards a cottage, my buzzsaws made short work of the building... and the nearby farmer, and his flock of sheep, a burst of bloodspray and plaster wall trailing behind each spinning arm. Besiege is a very simple game with very simple fun - and what fun it is.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of fun to be had with the tools as they are, and an infinite supply of suicidal knights to test them onâ&#x20AC;?

Being in early alpha, Besiege currently only has fifteen levels with various simple objectives - massacring an approaching army is my personal favourite, but the game also charges you with moving

bundles of wood from one place to another or razing a magical standing stone which will shoot your projectiles out of the air. The building mechanics offer an abundant array of options for making anything from simple flying machines to drop bombs from above, to cannon-propelled rockets, enormous hammers covered in spikes, and double-barrelled explosive ballista. It is honestly astonishing how much potential such a tight and polished little builder can have for making a massive variety of siege engines. One particularly cruel device I designed had reinforced doors that swung closed around knights that dared approach, sealing them inside a pen, which was then descended upon by piston-mounted saws that made an abattoir of the

little wooden box. Gruesome, and gleeful; I may have done a genuine witchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cackle as the saws came down. Besiege is an early-access indie game that looks and plays beautifully. With just fifteen levels and a sandbox mode, the challenges themselves are limited and the puzzles arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t likely to fox anyone for long, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the creative circumvention of the objectives that Besiege really shines. With many more levels promised before full release - and just a five pound price tag for the whole thing as is on Steam - Besiege is definitely one to keep an eye on. For now, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of fun to be had with the tools as they are, and an infinite supply of suicidal knights to play with them.

Rhian Â Hunter Â remembers Â the Â lovable Â adopted Â crocodile Â that Â time Â seems Â to Â have Â forgotten, Â and Â as Â Croc, Â sets Â off Â to Â save Â the Â Gobbo Â King Â and Â his Â disciples

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a shame that games like Croc - simple but enjoyable - rarely get a look in nowadaysâ&#x20AC;? There are barely any faults to highlight here, except the archaic graphics, which are immediately excused just because of the age of it. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also pretty difficult. Characteristically for a few of the older PS1 games, the controls are a bit dodgy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially when analogue is turned on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and can make it harder than it needs to be. Other than that, though, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faultless. Even so, getting used to those controls and mastering them is part of the fun of

Alien: Â Isolation

/RFNHUV Ă&#x20AC; DPHWKURZHUV DQG mercenaries Â galore, Â Sophie Â Baines Â splurges Â about Â her Â favourite Â game Â of Â 2014

Reload: Â Croc: Â Legend Â of Â The Â Gobbos

hey just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make them like this anymore. The approachable simplicity and intriguing quest narrative of Croc is so enticing and so effortlessly captivating that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have played for hours and lost a thousand lives before you even think to get on with that essay youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been putting off for days. Croc is a tiny crocodile, found by the fuzzy little Gobbo King Rufus and raised as one of his own. But of course danger is lurking nearby, with Baron Dante and his Dantinis invading Gobbo Island and imprisoning them all, including the King. And, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve guessed it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crocâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to save them all. Similar to the likes of Spyro the Dragon in its free-roaming world and to Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog in its style of play, Croc is an underrated platform game that encompassed my childhood in a nutshell. The creative characters and collectibles are accessible to almost any audience, from young children to the avid retro-gamer. With an abundance of levels across five worlds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including snowy, desert, and creepy castle settings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endless hours of joy to be had from Croc.

thecourieronline.co.uk @Courier_Gaming

it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so different to its contemporaries that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to play it to get what I mean. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a shame that stuff like Croc rarely gets a look in nowadays, what with colossal advancements in technology, and the resulting sophistication of modern gaming. Naughty Dog, the creators of the wonderful Crash Bandicoot series, moved on long ago to much more complicated and technical gameplay, with the critically-acclaimed The Last of Us and the Uncharted series. Things have come a long way since the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;beautifully-rendered 3D worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of Croc, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a hefty gap in the market for reincarnations of the classic adventure metanarrative. The contemporary focus on realism and immersive gameplay allows little room for the laidback, hedonistic pleasure of such games. With Croc, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just as easy to play one level for ten minutes as it is to become completely engrossed and play for hours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beauty of it. You can dip in and out as you please. The lack of complexity

ensures that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about remembering intricate storylines; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple â&#x20AC;&#x201C; get rid of the bad guys and try not to die. But if you do, you can always replay over and over again until you either go insane with frustration or bask in the magnificence of your skills.

lien: Isolation was one of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s darkest, scariest games, but here we are in 2015 with me still playing it. As far as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m concerned it was 2014â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crown jewel, its best and brightest, and it was definitely the best horror game to come out last year. Was the overwhelming reaction to this game largely based on the ever-loyal Alien fanbase? Probably. But surely we are the best people to judge? Alien: Isolation was different. The team behind the game, The Creative Assembly, were headed by die hard Alien fans, who wanted nothing other than to recreate the world of Ridley Scott as carefully and as accurately as they could. This ranged from the design of the Alien character, to the computer systems, right down to prop design (and that beautifully infamous bobbing bird). Lead art designer Jon McKellan said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;If a prop couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be made in 79 with the things they had around, then we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it eitherâ&#x20AC;?, which goes a long way to explaining the perfection of the universe you find yourself in.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Considering how much fun it is to cower in a locker for 20 minutes, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even discount it for the difficultyâ&#x20AC;?

I have always loved Alien. Always. I first watched the film when I was 9 years old (and almost certainly far, far too young to be watching it), and I fell in loving terror of this Xenomorph. The films, of course, got steadily worse as time went on, culminating in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;prequelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Poseidon (I mean, what even was that film?). But my love for that alien never faded away. The games were pretty average at best, until we came to Colonial Marines, which is possibly the worst game Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever had the misfortune to play. From that point onward I refused to buy another Alien game, because it was ruining the universe for me, but then EGX 2014 rolls around and there sits the Alien: Isolation stand. Here it was I first discovered how goddamn hard this game is. Every player was given 10 minutes with the game, and I barely got out of the starting zone before getting brutally licked by the alien each time. This game really is notoriously difficult. But considering how much fun it is to cower in a locker for 20 minutes, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even discount it for that. The hardness of the game is interspersed with moments where you can stop and watch the beauty of the world go by. Even if you get shanked from behind for doing so. Even if you disregard the beauty of the world, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disregard the sound design. It is breathtakingly good. Not only have they beautifully adapted the original soundtrack to be even more haunting than it already was, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also utilised the headphone mechanics of L and R. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a wealth of clues and tricks to locating the alien, which you lose if you use speakers, so if anyone asked, I would definitely advise headphone usage to experience the never-ending terror when it sounds like the alien is literally right above your head. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing more fun than throwing a noise machine at a group of mercenaries that are bangslap in your way, then hearing their screams as the alien tears them limb from limb.

The Courier

puzzles.45

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Puzzles 1

Puzzles Editor: Kate Bennett

Courier Catch- phrase

See if you can guess (catch) the common idiom (phrase) shown in this picture combo?

8 9 10

14 15

“I’m Roy Walker and I heartily endorse this event and/or product”

16 17

22 23

Across

1 Actress, won Best Actress Oscar for Still Alice (8. 5) 7 Tearful (10) 9 Garden implement (4) 10 Dark purple-blue colour (6) 11 Baby’s bed (3) 12 False (6) 14 On (4) 15 Energy company (3) 17 1984 horror-comedy film about small destructive creatures called Mogwai (8) 19 Egyptian sun god (2) 21 Ratio of circle’s circumference to its diameter (2) 23 Greek mythological creature with the body of a man and the legs of a horse or goat (5) 25 Professor Sherman _ _ _ _ _, protagonist of The Nutty Professor (5) 26 Paraffin (8) 27 To mend something knitted; mild expletive (4)

For more news, views, sports and culture, make sure you head over to thecourieronline. co.uk

Down

1 Nocturnal black and white cats in T.S. Elliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (8) 2 Pokemon with large tongue (9) 3 An area used for the taking off and landing of aeroplanes (9) 4 Union involved in the Miner’s Strike, at the time led by Arthur Scargill (3) 5 Form of classical musical theatre (5) 6 One who conducts a fraudulent service offering to solve a problem (9) 8 Woodwind instrument with flared bell (4) 13 Early American colony whose inhabitants mysteriously disappeared (7) 16 Two shilling coin (6) 18 Chris _ _ _, singer of ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ (3) 20 Ski resort city in Colorado (5) 21 Music genre originating in the late 1970s as a reaction against commercial or selfindulgent genres (4) 22 Lower house of Russian parliament (4) 23 Big _ _ _, novel by Jack Kerouac named after an area of California (3) 24 River in Norfolk (3)

7 2

3 8

9 3 4 5 4 1 5 8 1

7 3 9 6 7 2 9 3

Shaft

Flash

Thru

_ _ _ _ _

Word Link Find the word that connects these three words. Hint: Silent Ryan Gosling

6 7

46.sportbucs&national

Tuesday 3 March 2015

The Courier

Promotion delight for NUNC Netball

By Abi Dodwell at The Sports Centre NUNC 1sts 65-36 Leeds Met1sts After Brunel were disqualified from the cup Newcastle were given a second chance to come back into the competition and move on to the next stage. Although Leeds won Captain Jo Murnane is certain that the score did not reflect her team’s great performance. Newcastle put up a great fight in the first quarter with accurate shooting from Emily Whiteside which allowed the team to stay positive. As they moved into the second quarter down by a few goals they exhibited great passages of play as Hattie Grant and Alice Hagyard played with great fluidity and with great defensive skill in the centre court. By half time Newcastle were still on the worse side of the score line but they kept fighting for every ball as Jasmine Whitlock applied great pressure on the attack. But in the end Leeds met are truly a spectacular team and are currently at the top of the premiership, and they were able to force errors in Newcastle which gave them the game. However this tough match was a great way of testing Newcastle before the big Stan Calvert final on Sunday, where every single member, after their solid performance this week, has no doubt that they would thrash the Poly. NUNC 2nds 39-35 Leeds Met 2nds

tips and interceptions meant that by the end of the first quarter Newcastle were up. However the score was still close and Newcastle couldn’t take Leeds for granted as they could still overtake them. But the team pulled together and with Tesni fellows impeccable shooting Newcastle maintained their lead. In the third quarter Leeds managed to bring the game level at 32-32 and Newcastle, but the incredible defensive play all down court from Laura Hall and Georgia St Rose gave Newcastle crucial turnovers which brought back their lead. There was still everything to play for in the final quarter and Newcastle were not about to drop their standard.

There were tears of happiness today when Newcastle stepped off court as this victory puts them in a great position for promotion. From the first whistle Newcastle took the lead and on never let go of it as every player was on point and determined to win. The team’s strong defence from Annie Bolle-Jones and Sadie Neve was enhanced by their great teamwork and their continuous

Every member of the team put in a solid performance as Tess Richardson created fluidity on court and kept everyone determined. As the final whistle blew, Newcastle knew they had taken the victory and were overwhelmed with happiness as they had played their best game of the season so far. NUNC 3rds 40-29 Northumbria 3rds Tensions were high as Stan Calvert approaches this Sunday and Newcastle wanted to prove that this year they are taking back the cup. The first quarter was a very tight as the centre court players Grace Brumhill and Lauren Parker made lots of tips and stayed

strong against the jabbing elbows of the poly. The team stayed focused and managed to finish the first quarter leading 8-7, this one point lead giving them the drive and confidence they needed to take the whole game. In the second quarter there were lots of great steals from Alice C Farmer and Charlotte Pickard who did a brilliant job at keeping a straight face as the overly dramatic Goal Shooter often theatrically flopped to the floor but was rightly never granted a penalty. Newcastle’s clean play increased their lead to 19-14 and going into the third quarter every player refused to let this lead dropped. The shooting from Olivia Gordon and

Newcastle’s 2nds will be facing greater opposition next year Photography by Abi Dodwell

player of the match Flo Bauer was truly outstanding as throughout the whole game they barely missed a single shot. Entering the final quarter the score stood at 28-13 and Newcastle were still determined to continue the poly bashing. The defence continued to win every rebound and the movement down the court from every player was spectacular which meant that Newcastle deservedly won with a significant lead. NUNC 4ths 35-39 Leeds Met 4ths Newcastle set off to a shaky start as they unfortunately threw away balls and didn’t have their usually great communication. But the team kept their heads in the game and didn’t let Leeds pull too far away as gong into the second quarter they only trailed by 5 goals. After a pep talk from Vice-Captain Jess Wheeler the team rallied together and came back on court with a winning attitude. The defence came into their own with Natalie Brown making lots of interceptions and working the ball up the court well. By the second quarter Newcastle were still down but you could tell in the atmosphere that Leeds were feeling nervous. The centre court players Poppy Briggs and Ellie Rutter, who was making her debut as Wing attack, kept the game flowing well and made great feeds into the attack. But Newcastle still trailed by half time and despite their excellent play they were struggling to make up the goal difference of the first quarter. In the second half the shooting made a huge difference as Jess Wheeler and Tabitha Nelham Clark played with great accuracy as Newcastle managed to catch up to Leeds. Newcastle still had high spirits going into the final quarter and were determined to keep up with Leeds. However the oppositions towering defence and brilliant shooting meant that Newcastle were not quite able to take the victory.

Cheer team impress DW QDWLRQDO ¿ QDOV Cheerleading By Tom Nicholson Editor Newcastle’s Northern Angels returned home from this year’s Future Cheer competition in Birmingham with a first ever first place prize in the jazz category of the dance competition, but a sense of frustration regarding the manner in which errors robbed them of a possible podium placing. Speaking to the Courier, Cheer Captain Niamh Borowski said of the group stunt competition, in which groups of five show off their skills in lifting and throwing without incorporating dance and gymnastic elements: “We had great results with both coed groups finishing second; our coed level four team was only 0.5 marks off first. Both allgirl groups also had clean routines and placed 6th and 7th in tough divisions.” The next round was the dance stage, in which the jazz routine placed first and gained the title of national champions. The hip hop and pom routines also placed well, finishing sixth and seventh respectively. Finally, the cheer team competed, with the 32 members of the blue squad, which is made up of relative novices and some of whom had only been part of

the team since September, giving what Borowski called “the best performance of their year”. Unfortunately, illegal skills which would have been allowed to stand had the team been competing in a higher skill category incurred penalties which pushed the blue squad down the rankings. The red squad, composed of more experienced members, competed in a higher level division. While Borowski admits that “it wasn’t their best performance”, theirs was “one of the hardest routines the team have ever performed”, and still managed to place in tenth even with many points lost in deductions. Borowski continued: “Everyone had a great weekend and came away pleased with their performance and how much each person has achieved this year. Unfortunately the placings just weren’t as high as we’d have liked. “Newcastle as a uni managed to enter nine divisions in total, more than any other university, and for the first time this year we’ve had three male members compete with us at nationals. “As captain I was extremely happy with all the performances and got really quite emotional at the end. I’m now trying to find a way to stay after graduation for another year so I can compete at nationals one more time.”

The Northern Angels rehearse their Future Cheer routine Photography by Cat Schroeter

The Courier

sportintramutal.47

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Intra Â Mural Â football: Â the Â season Â so Â far

espite intriguing changes to the league structure at the start of the season due to a lesser demand of teams. However, even with each league being cut down to seven teams per division the business end of the season has begun and here is a review of whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going up, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going down and who is going to be forever stuck with mid-table mediocrity. Division One sees the addition of the University reserves in a Spanish style â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; team within the league. Although they should truly be running away with it, they seem to be suffering in a somewhat disappointing 4th with 11 points, but having only played half their allotted games, this position could still change and they could still rise like a phoenix from the ashes to take the crown. With so many matches to be played though it is still to play for at both the top and bottom and the University coaching staff with hope they can justify their inclusion straight away and not be stuck with mid-table melancholy. Speaking of rising to the top, newly promoted Boca Seniors wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve hoped for a better debut season in the this division but find themselves in an unwanted relegation dogfight with leaky Henderson Hall and an Axe Wielding Baboons side who have seemingly lost their sharpness. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprise package are Dyslexic Untied who lie, probably confusingly for them, second in the table between the two Medics teams who are, somewhat predictably, riding high and dissecting the opposing teams with consummate ease. These two teams have been the two great powers in the Saturday league for the past five seasons now, and should pull away from Untied when they play their two games in hand. The Medics 2s sit two points ahead of their rivals with four games to go each. The second tier is being led FC Civille under the careful guidance of Alex McKeirnan, managed to build a balanced, energetic side. Despite having lost a couple of times they have engineered victories in key games which can only breed success for an upward thinking green army this year with new signings such as Levi Fletcher, Matt Mitchinson and Akram Abouesha key to the new width created by their adoption of the modish 4-2-3-1 formation. Captain McKiernan has said of his team that â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are relentless, have a great framework and mentality, we have moments of quality and clarity and we have grown into this division wellâ&#x20AC;?. The rest of the league sees three teams stuck on thirteen points; the battle between Panthers FC, newly relegated Barca-Law-Na and the uninventively named Chem Eng will almost certainly rage until the end of the season, and

with only three games left for some teams the . Bath a loner have become the postponement specialist with four games in hand on league leaders FC Civille who face each other twice in three weeks in two games that could, and probably will, decide the title. MLS are clear relegation fodder having not registered a single point and with a below double figure tally of a solid three goals there is likely to be no West Brom style magic to save them this time after several 12-0 drubbings this year. They would drop into a league being led by S.S Ladzio who sit imperiously at the top of the third division with no real challenge. Holding three games in hand on closest rivals and indoor 5 a side champions ManSoc, it would look that they are a safe bet for the title, with local bookies shortening odds to evens early last week. ManSoc however are not as certain for second place with Castle Leazes and Hamilton BioMedical right behind and ready to pounce on any mistake. For ex-Ricky Roaders, seeing Leazes promoted would be a stab in the heart, especially after their beloved first year home is to be redeveloped from its loveable shithole status. Thus those who have lived there in the teams in and around them will be fighting tooth and nail to stop this horrible eventuality happening. Lower down the league, the Conference beckons for Floresta Parque FC (your guess is as good as ours) who have an outstanding goal difference of minus 70, which you actually have to applaud for being an unbelievable effort. Parqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astoundingly poor goal difference has distracted attention from the travails of Larrikins, who have conceded 56 goals this term and show no signs of plugging their leaky defence any time soon. So, as yet another season comes to a close in this crazy Intra Mural world there are likely to be some upsets, some highs, somes lows and some downright weird results.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Conference beckons for Floresta Parque FC, who have an outstanding goal difference of minus 70. You actually have to applaud that for being an unbelievable effortâ&#x20AC;?

The two Medics teams battle it out at Cochrane Park Photography by Lexie Barton

League tables Saturday Â 11-Ââ&#x20AC;?a-Ââ&#x20AC;?side Â football Division 1

Division 13

Division 2

Team

Pld

Pts

Team

Pld

Pts

Team

Pld

Newcastle Medics 1

FC Civille

SS Ladzio

42 8

Dyslexic Untied

Panthers FC

ManSoc

Newcastle Medics 2

Barca-Law-Na

Castle Leazes

44 23

Chem Eng

Hamilton Biomedicals

35 21

Photogra9 14 5 6 22 phy: Nick4 7 15 1 Gabriel

Bath A Loner

ABCDE FC

32 30

Newcastle Uni Reserves

Boca Seniors

Henderson Hall

Axe Wielding Baboons

Pts

Acc Soc

Combined Hons 2XI

23 16

MLS

7 8

Larrikins Floresta Parque FC

13 14

3 0

0 0

10 14

19 56 0 70

9 0

Sport

www.thecourieronline.co.uk Tuesday 3 March 2015 Issue 1307 Free

thecourieronline.co.uk/sport

Sports Editors: Peter Georgiev, Jonty Mawer & Huezin Lim Online Sports Editor: Josh Nicholson courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk | @Courier_Sport

1RUWKXPEULD FDQWHU WR ¿UVW ever varsity double in style

Photo: Cat Schroeter

Poly produce crushing victory in Stan Calvert Cup to banish ghosts of 7-year wait for a win

“Like the old chant goes: this is how it feels to be Poly;; this is how it feels to be small”

By Tom Nicholson Editor For the first time in the competition’s 22-year history, Northumbria have retained the Stan Calvert Memorial Cup. They racked up a total of 77.5 points to Newcastle’s 48.5, and had wrapped up victory by 4.45pm on Sunday afternoon. The extraordinarily nerveless manner in which the Northumbria teams went about dismantling the majority of the Uni teams was a testament to the confidence which their teams had taken from the previous year’s hoodoo-breaking win. Before Super Sunday itself, the Poly had opened up an eight-point lead on the Uni - an advantage two points great than that which they had carried into the final day in 2014 - with wins in the rugby union firsts, women’s foot-

ball firsts, men’s basketball firsts, men’s cricket firsts, men’s and women’s futsal and skiing. Stan Calvert day itself started with the Poly’s tennis team in unexpectedly fearsome form, squeezing a 12-0 victory out of a ring-rusty and injury-effected Uni team. Later on, the swimming summed up the mood of the competition: Northumbria won 23 of the 24 races to take maximum points. The charge continued with a 24-5 win for Northumbria’s women’s rugby team, and a 96-63 win for their basketball third team helped to cement the sense that momentum had shifted decisively in Northumbria’s favour. In truth, they never looked inclined to give up their command of the lead, and kept a solid 20-point lead for almost the whole day. There was a window of roughly 45 minutes during mid-after-

noon in which there were Uni wins in the women’s lacrosse, women’s thirds netball and men’s seconds rugby union ate into Northumbria’s lead and reduced the arrears to a still-considerable 14 points. However, almost as soon as Uni hopes were raised, they were dashed again as the Poly passed the point at which they could not be caught. The hoary old cliché of ‘too little, too late’ rather sprang to mind. All that said, there were moments of real ingenuity, grit and sporting pride which lit up the day for the Uni. Chief among these was the last-gasp victory in the women’s second team hockey match, won in the very last play of the match from a short corner. The fencing team produced another stand-out performance, choosing the Sunday to showcase the imperious form

they have been capable of in fits and starts this season. Newcastle’s AU Officer, Caleb Jones, had made clear his disenchantment with the revised structure of the tournament before a game had been played. He citing the axing of sports such as rowing and cycling, as well as the exclusion of some games between third and fourth teams due to Northumbria’s reorganisation of those squads into non-BUCS competitions which therefore exclude them from Stan Calvert. While Northumbria might point to this as a case of the sourest of grapes, and assert that the paradigm in which the competition is fought has shifted for good now in the same manner in which it did at the start of Newcastle’s recordbreaking run, Jones and the rest of the sports set-up at Newcastle will demand that the reasons for the utter dominance

of the Poly must surely be drawn into focus if the competition is to avoid becoming a fait accompli, joyless procession leavened for Uni supporters by the odd against-the-odds win. As the Uni’s first team netballers marched, distraught, from the field after their heartbreaking 33-32 loss in the final moments of the marquee game in Sports Central, a sense of overwhelming gloom enveloped the Uni stands. In spite of various high points throughout the competition, the fact remains that Newcastle sports teams’ collective ego will take some time to recover from this shellacking. Northumbria’s fans belted out their old, faithful chants, but another one entirely seemed to float, unsung, around the opposite end of the arena: this is how it feels to be Poly; this is how it feels to be small.